Mrs. 

Gnirir  ©IP 
L.    R.   Copeland 

MAJ.  GEM  DAVID  B 


/ 


• 


LIFE 


OF 


DAVID  BELL  BIRNEY, 


MAJOR-GENERAL 


UNITED  STATES  VOLUNTEERS. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
KING   &    BAIRD,   607    SANSOM    STREET. 

NEW   YORK: 

SHELDON  &  CO.,  400  BROADWAY 
1867. 


rr^-v 


CONTENTS. 


Index  to  Names  of  Officers,  Regi 
ments,  Batteries,  etc.. v 

Parentage I 

Education  and  Early  Life 6 

Military  Training 10 

Opening  of  the  Rebellion 16 

First  Campaign 18 

Second  Campaign 20 

A  New  Regiment 24 

Promotion 27 

A  Cabal 28 

A  Brigadier 30 

Kearny 33 

Reviews  and  Drills 35 

Peninsula  Campaign 37 

Williamsburg 39 

Birney  under  Arrest 42 

Fair  Oaks,  or  Seven  Pines 49 

An  Eloquent  Order 53 

The  Seven  Days 55 

Harrison's  Landing 59 

Pope's  Campaign 61 

Chantilly 69 

The  Kearny  Patch 73 

Fancy  Duty 78 

A  Presentation 81 

In  the  Field 85 

(iii) 


The  Battle  of  Fredericksburg 87 

Emancipation  Proclamation 103 

Camp  Life 107 

Chancellorsville 131 

Incidents  of  Chancellorsville 158 

Gettysburg 161 

Campaign  after  Gettysburg 193 

In  Camp 196 

Campaign  under  Meade 198 

Winter  Quarters 205 

Obliteration  of  the  Third  Corps..    211 
Grant's  March  toward  Richmond.   214 

The  Tenth  Army  Corps 234 

First  Movement  on  Deep  Bottom.   238 

In  the  Trenches 245 

New  Regiments 248 

Resolutions  of  Councils 254 

New  Movements 256 

Second  Movement  on  Deep  Bot 
tom  258 

Sickness  and  Death 275 

The  Funeral 292 

Orders  issued  in  the  Army 313 

Proceedings    of    Civil    Organiza 
tions 318 

A  Testimonial  Fund 324 

The  End 33° 


M5S0419 


IV 


CONTENTS. 


APPENDIX. 


Kearny's  Report  of  Williamsburg.   335 
Birney's  "  "         ...   340 

Kearny's          "         Fair  Oaks 342 

Birney's  "  ««         342 

Order  of  Court  Martial 351 

Comments  of  the  Press 352 

Kearny's  Report  of  Charles  City 

Cross  Roads 358 

Kearny's  Report  of  Malvern  Hill.   363 

"  "      Second  Bull  Run  365 

Birney's  Report  of  Chantilly 368 


Birney's  Report  of  Fredericksburg  370 

Emancipation  Proclamation 373 

Birney's  Report  of  Chancellorsville  376 

The  Kearny  Medals 381 

Birney's  Report  of  Gettysburg....  393 

Capt.  Briscoe's  "  "         ....  400 

Birney's  Report  of  Mine  Run 403 

Order  concerning  Picket  Duty 407 

Action  of  Councils , 410 

General  Birney's  Command 413 

"  "       Staff-officers 415 


INDEX 


Abbott,  J.  C.,  Col.,  267,  271. 
Adams,  Col.,  345. 
Alexander,  Capt.,  373. 
Ames'  battery,  394,  414. 
Army  and  Navy  Journal,   198,  199,  204, 
238,  262,  290. 

Averill,  Maj.  Gen.,  59,  116. 
Ayres,  Maj.  Gen.,  188. 

Barclay,  C.  B.,  327,  328. 

Barlow,  Maj.  Gen.,  217,  218,  229,  240, 

361,  378. 

Barnard,  Lieut.,  337. 

Barnes,  Brig.  Gen.,  394,  402. 

Ballier,  Col.,  21. 

Baxter,  J.  H.,  Dr.,  340. 

Beams'  battery,  346. 

Berdan,  H.,  Col.,  118,  137,  138,  377,  393, 
396>  397,  400. 

Berry,  H.  G.,  Maj.  Gen.,  27,  31,  39,  40, 
45,  63>  7°,  89,  90,  91,  92,  94,  102, 
108,  114,  132,  139,  145,  151,  157, 
188,  336,  337,  339,  343,  346,  359, 
362,  364,  371,  372. 

Birney,  J.  G.,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5,  280,  283,  285, 

286. 

Birney,  F.,  Major,  402,  403,  415. 

Birney,  Frank,  20. 

Bliss,  F.  E.,  Capt.,  373,  415. 

Blucher,  Count,  115,  118. 

Boardman,  Rev.  Dr.,  19,  294,  296,  306. 

Botts,  J.  M.,  Hon.,  207,  208,  209. 

Boston  Journal,  149. 

Boyle,  Lieut.,  117. 

Brady,  Capt.,  349. 


Bradley,  G.  C.,  Lieut.  Col.,  415. 

Bratton,  Col.,  346. 

Bramhall's  battery,  414. 

Brevoort,  H.  W.,  Major,  114,  380,  415. 

Briscoe,  J.  C.,  Col.,  64,  65,  66,  67,  68,  1 1 3, 

114,    132,    183,    194,   220,    236,    250, 

251,  252,  253,  366,  373,   376,   380, 

393,  397,  4oo,  4i5- 
Brown,  J.  B.,  Lieut.  Col.,  74. 
Brown,  Col.,  358,  365,  367. 
Bucklyn's  battery,  403,  414. 
Bullard,  W.,  Lieut.,  398. 
Bullock,  George,  83,  325,  326,  328. 
Burns,  Major,  116. 
Burnside,  Maj.  Gen.,  85,  87,  89,  96,  97, 

103,  104,  107,  108,  131,   132,  228, 

229,  230. 

Burt,  Lieut.  Col.,  365. 
Burling,  Col.,  394,  397,  401. 
Butler,  Maj.  Gen.,  237,  239,  242,  243,  252, 

256,  258,  259,  260,  268,  275,  276, 

282,  313. 

Buzzel,  A.  J.  H.,  Dr.,  415. 
Braman,  W.  W.,  Capt.,  415. 
Brodie,  Paul,  Lieut.,  415. 

Cadwalader,  Maj.  Gen.,  292,  307. 

Caldweli,  Brig.  Gen.,  360,  362. 

Calef,  B.  S.,  Lieut.,  217,  415. 

Cameron,  S.,  Hon.,  20,  27. 

Campbell,  Col.,  41,  51,  90,  93,  348,  370, 

37',  373- 

Canby,  W.  J.,  322. 

Carr,  Brig.  Gen.,  203,  208,  209,  380,  403, 
404,  405,  406. 


VI 


INDEX. 


Carter,  Judge,  109. 
Carver,  Lieut.  Col.,  365,  367. 
Casey,  Judge,  109. 

Casey,  Maj.  Gen.,  34,  42,  43,  45,  49,  342, 

342. 

Cavada,  A.,  Capt.,  348. 
Cavada,  F.  F.,  Lieut.  Col.,  50,  190,   191, 

395,  4IS- 

Champlin,  S.  G.,  Col.,  343,  365,  367. 
Chambers,  J.  H.,  83. 
Chambers,  Lieut.,  118. 
Chambliss,  Brig.  Gen.,  240. 
Chase,  S.  P.,  Hon.,  3,  80. 
Chauncey,  C.,  Capt.,  61. 
Chester,  Col.,  371. 
Clark,  C.  H.,  83,  325,  328. 
Clark,  F.,  Capt.,  381,  415. 
Clark,  Capt.,  114,  380. 
Clark's  battery,   135.  187,  377,   378,   392, 

394,  401. 

Collis,  C.  H.  T.,  Col.,  114,  117,  1 1 8,  129, 
19°.  3°9>  3^2,  372,  404. 
Collis,  Lieut.,  117. 
Connor,  Lieut.  Col.  362. 
Connecticut  loth  Vols.,  238. 
Connecticut  ist  Artillery,  59. 
Cooke,  Jay,  325. 
Cook,  T.  M.,  135,  269. 
Cooney,  J.,  Capt.,  401. 
Cooper,  Capt.,  92,  372. 
Couch,  Maj.  Gen.,  44,  51,  57,  165,  170, 

3*5,  345.  349>  3^4- 
Cowan,  E.  M.,  Hon.,  109. 
Craig,  Col.,  240,  241,  365,  395. 
Crawford,  Brig.  Gen.,  160. 
Crawford,  Col.,  117. 

Curtin,  Governor,  10,  13,  25,40,  119,  128, 
165,  169,  276,  311,  312,  325. 
Curtin,  Brig.  Gen.,  229. 
Curtis,  N.  M.,  Col.,  267. 

Dana,  C.  A.,  256. 

Dana,  Maj.  Gen.,  169. 

Danks,  J.  A.,  Major,  117,  372,  395. 

Dandy,  J.  H.,  Capt.,  415. 


Dare,  C.  P.,  Col.,  16,  18,  21,  24,  26. 

Davis,  J.  M.,  Lieut.,  322. 

Davis,  J.,  Lieut.,  415. 

Dennisson,  Lieut.,  117. 

Depuyster,  Watts,  337. 

De  Trobriand,  Brig.  Gen.,  90,  95,  1 14, 160, 

183,  187,  190,  201,  315,  370,  371, 

393,  396,  401,  402. 
Devins,  Brig.  Gen.,  142. 
Dix,  J.  A.,  Maj.  Gen.,  221,  243. 
Dimmick's  battery,  153. 
Diehl,  T.  J.,  Capt.,  322,  415. 
Dillman,  Major,  346. 
Doubleday,  Maj.  Gen.,  21,  92,  93,  97,  98, 

101,  182. 

Douglas,  J.  H.,  190. 
Dow's  battery,  216,  413. 
Drexel,  A.  J.,  325,  328. 
Duane,  Major,  405. 
Duff,  L.  B.,  Major,  415. 
Dyckman,  Col.,  361. 

Early,  Gen.,  91,  96,  173,  174,  219. 
Egan,  Brig.  Gen.,  47,  28,  222,  228,  365, 
366>  379>  38o,  396,  401,  404,  406. 
Ellis,  Col.,  396. 
Ellet,  Brig.  Gen.,  307,  308. 
Emory,  Brig.  Gen.,  336,  338. 
Evarts,  O.,  Dr.,  415. 
Everman,  J.  W.,  327,  328,  412. 
Evening  Bulletin,  284. 
Evening  Telegraph,  283,  295. 
Excelsior  2d  Regiment,  43. 
Excelsior  3d  Regiment,  116. 
Ewell,  Gen.,  61,  96,   170,  172,  174,  177, 
201,  219,  221,  372. 

Fairbanks,  Major,  362. 
Farragut,  Com.,  302. 
Faust,  D.,  325. 

Fassitt,  J.  B.,  Capt.,  50,  1 14, 1 1 8,  206,  208, 
309,  326,  328,  348,  380,  416. 
Felton,  S.  M.,  276. 
Field,  Gen.,  265,  266,  267,  268,  269. 
Finkelmier,  S.  P.,  Capt.,  316. 


INDEX. 


Vll 


Fitzgerald,  L.,  Capt.,  416. 
Ford,  E.  L.,  Capt.,  276,  309,  406,  416. 
Foster,  R.  S.,  Brig.  Gen.,  238,  239,  241, 

260,  267. 

Franklin,  Maj.  Gen.,  57,  87,  89,  94,  97, 

98,  363. 

French,  Maj.  Gen.,  32,  52,  151,  193,  194, 
195,  200,  201,  203,  209,  349,  350, 
380,  404,  405. 

Gamble,  Col.,  117. 

Garrettson,  Lieut.,  117. 

Georgia  28th  Vols.,  137. 

Gesner,  Lieut.  Col.,  341,  365,  366,  370. 

Gherardie,  Brig.  Gen.,  241. 

Gibbons,  J.,  Maj.  Gen.,  91,  94,  97,  99, 
101,  186,  230,  366,  371. 

Gilbert,  Lieut.,  41. 

Gillesley,  Lieut.  Col.,  371. 

Gilmore,  Maj.  Gen.,  234. 

Glenn,  J.  F.,  Capt.,  323. 

Gossin,  Capt.,  114. 

Graham,  C.  K.,  Brig.  Gen.,  133,  134,  135, 
150,  160,  184,  187,  190,  199,  257. 

Graham,  Capt.,  367. 

Grant,  U.  S.,  Gen.,  30,  85,  205,  209,  212, 
214,  218,  221,  222,  224,  225,  227, 
232,  234,  237,  238,  239,  242,  243, 
245,  252,  254,  256,  259,  261,  285, 
302,  318,  324,  330. 

Grant,  Brig.  Gen.,  217. 

Graves,  C.  H,,  Capt,  114,  276,  309,  416. 

Green,  W.  C.,  Lieut.,  344. 

Gregg,  Maj.  Gen.,  238,  239,  240,  241. 

Griffin,  Brig.  Gen.,  229. 

Griffin,  Dr.,  322. 

Grover,  Brig.  Gen.,  339. 

Gwyn,  Brig.  Gen.,  50,  307,  322,  348. 

Hall,  Lieut.,  265,  266. 
Halleck,  Maj.  Gen.,  104, 107,  204,208,261. 
Hamilton,  Gen.,  30,  37,  65,  70. 
Hancock,  Maj.  Gen.,  182,  183,  184,  186, 

189,  212,  214,  219,  223,  224,  229, 

232,  239,  243,  318,  395. 


Hancock,  J.,  Major,  416. 
Harding,  J.  B.,  327. 

Hart,  O.  H.,  Lieut.  Col.,  378,  381,  397, 

406. 

Hassler,  Capt.,  52,  349,  355,  356. 
Hawley,  Brig.  Gen.,  241. 
Hayes,  A.,  Brig.  Gen.,  41,  212,  215,  360, 
3<5i,  365,  366. 

Hayman,  S.  B.,  Col.,  134,  138,  148,  339, 
344>  37i,  377,  380. 

Heintzleman,  Maj.  Gen.,  30,  31,  42,  43, 
44,  45,  51,  S2,  55,  56,  57,  60,  69, 
70,  72,  109,  335,  336,  337,  340,  341, 

342,  343,  349,  35°-  353,  354,  355> 

356,  361,  362,  363,  368. 
Henry,  Alexander,  Hon.,  410. 
Henry,  J.,  Lieut.,  344. 
Henshaw,  J.  C.,  Major,  416. 
Higgins,  Lieut.  Col.,  396. 
Hildreth,  Surgeon,  416. 
Hill,  Capt.,  1  1  6. 

Hill,  A.  P.,  Gen.,  149,  174,  175,  177,  185, 

219. 

Hoke,  Gen.,  262,  265,  268,  269. 
Hooker,  J.,  Maj.  Gen.,  31,  39,  56,  57,  61, 

72,  74,  89,  108,  109,  no,  in,  114, 

119,  128,  131,  132,  133,   134,   139, 

147,  149,  Z52»  J55,  l6°,  J74,  177, 
179,  180,  302,  316,  335,  336,  367. 

Howard,  Maj.  Gen.,  133,  134,  141,  142, 
181,  182,  376,  377. 

Howard,  G.  O.,  Capt.,  416. 

Howell,  H.  C.,  328. 

Humphreys,  Maj.  Gen.,  160,  188,  209. 

Hunkins,  G.  C.,  Dr.,  416. 

Hunt,  Captain,  342,  348,   350,   353,  354, 

355- 
Hutchings,  W.  V.,  Capt.,  416. 

Indiana  2oth  Vols.,  134,  135,  138,  236, 
358,  365,  367,  377>  378,  388,  396, 


Jackson,  S.,  Gen.,  21,  149,  150,  219. 
Jackson,  R.  H.,  Lieut.  Col.,  270,  271,  416. 


vm 


INDEX. 


Jameson,  Brig.  Gen.,  31,  40,  41,  337,  342, 
344,  34*5,  355- 

Jennison,  Chaplain,  306,  308,  309. 
Jessup,  A.  D.,  83,  328. 
Johnston,  Gen.,  21,  22,  219. 
Jones,  D.  M.,  Lieut.  Col.,  396. 
Judd,  G.  E.,  Lieut.,  343. 

Kautz,  Brig.  Gen.,  258,  260,  264,  265,  269, 

274,  282. 
Kearny,  P.,  Maj.  Gen.,  30,  33,  39,40,41, 

43,  44,  45,  46,  5°,  51,  52,  53,  54, 
56,  57,  61,  62,  63,  64,  65,  66,  67, 
68,  69,  70,  71,  72,  73,  93,  159,  160, 
197,  235,  3l6,  338,  340,  34i,  346, 
347,  348,  35°,  353,  354,  355,  356> 
363,  364,  368. 

Kelley,  W.  D.,  Hon.,  109. 

Kelsey,  D.  E.,  Dr.,  116. 

Keyes,  Maj.  Gen.,  42,  45,  50,  51,  59,  347, 

349,  354- 

Kimple,  Lieut.,  117. 
Kirkwood,  Col.,  117,  118. 
Knipe,  Gen.,  134,  377. 
Koehler,  E.  F.,  Capt.,  416. 
Kieffer,  Col.,  404. 
Kurshow,  Capt.,  115. 

Lakeman,  Col.,  371,  396. 
Lambert,  Lieut.,  416. 
Lebcrman,  L.  J.,  83. 
Lee,  Lieut.,  114,  369,  416. 
Lefevre,  Capt.,  92,  93,  372. 
Leidy,  A.,  Col.,  90,  370,  371. 
Leidy,  S.  S.,  322. 
Leslie,  J.  A.,  Lieut.,  317. 
Lincoln,  A.,  10,  38,  58,  103,  104,  105,  107, 
108,  109,  no,  162,  164,  174,  208, 

374,  375- 

Linnard,  J.  M.,  Capt.,  52,  350,  355,  416. 
Livingston's  battery,  90,  371,  373. 
Lloyd,  Capt.,  416. 
Long,  Col.,  43. 

Long  Island  Legion,  345,  355. 
Longstreet,  Gen.,  174,  177,  185,  216,  217. 


|  Loughlin,  Mr.,  412. 

|  Ludwig,  W.  C.,  320. 

j  Lyman,  J.  W.,  Lieut.  Col., 


114,  249,  381, 
416. 


Madill,  Col.,  117,  380,  395. 

Maginnis,  E.  J.,  83. 

Maine  ist  Heavy  Artillery,  413,  416. 

Maine  3d  Vols.,  27,  50,  51,  61,  90,  91,  95, 
183,  340,  34i,  347,  348,  355,  368, 
37i,  387,  393,  394,  396»  39s,  4°°, 
401,  416. 

Maine  4th  Vols.,  27,  41,  50,  51,  57,  69,  90, 
94,  337,  34°,  34*,  34^,  347,  348, 
35°,  364,  365,  367,  368,  370,  387, 
388,  396,  398,  416,  417. 

Maine  6th  Battery,  216,  413. 

Maine  nth  Vols.,  270. 

Maine  i7th  Vols.,  116,  148,  371,  379,  390, 

39I>396»  399,402,  4J3- 
Mallon,  Lieut.,  345. 
Mann,  W.  B.,  169. 
Mansfield,  Brig.  Gen.,  65. 
Markle,  C.  C.,  Capt.,  114,  381,  417. 
Martin,  Capt.,  115. 
Martin,  T.  W.,  322. 
Massachusetts  ist  Heavy  Artillery,  413. 
Massachusetts  ist  Battery,  413. 
Massachusetts  7th  Vols.,  349. 
Massachusetts  nth  Vols.,  413. 
Massachusetts  24th  Vols.,  238. 
Massachusetts  4th  Cavalry,  260,  417. 
McCall,  Gen.,  359,  361,  362. 
McClellan,  Maj.  Gen.,  26,  37,  39,  42,  43, 

46,  55,  S^,  79,  I04,  3°2- 
McClure,  A.  K.,  Hon.,  109. 
McDowell,  Maj.  Gen.,  72. 
McGenehan,  Col.,  117. 
McGilvery,  F.,  Col.,  416. 
McHenry,  Lieut.,  115,  116. 
Mclntyre,  Capt.,  417. 
McKeever,  C.,  Lieut.  Col.,  45,  56,  338, 

340,  346,  363,  364,  368,  369. 
McKnight,  Col.,  41,  115,  117. 
McMichael,  C.,  Capt.,  236,  416. 


INDEX. 


IX 


Meade,  Maj.  Gen.,  87,   88,  89,  90,  91, 

94,  97,  98,  99,  I0°,  IOI»  l6o>  J74, 
180,  184,  185,  188,  191,  193,  194, 
198,  199,  200,  204,  318,  324,  371, 
401. 

Meagher,  Brig.  Gen.,  114,  115,  116,  121, 

128,  380. 

Mercer,  S.  A.,  169. 

Merrill,  Lieut.  Col.,  396. 

Michigan  zd  Vols.,  336,  337,  339. 

Michigan  3d  Vols.,  343,  344,  360,  365,  366, 

367,  389,  39°,  394,  395,  39<5,  399, 

405,  414. 

Michigan  5th  Vols.,  339,  343,  362,  371, 
378,  382,  390,  396,  399,414. 
Miles,  Brig.  Gen.,  240. 
Miles,  Capt.,  362. 
Millvvard,  W.,  Hon.,  253,  328. 
Mindle,  G.  W.,  Capt.,  40,  51,  336,  341, 

348,  356>  367,  41?- 
Moore,  A.  Capt.,  337,  345,  378. 
Moore,  B.  H.,  327,  328. 
Moore,  J.  R.,  Lieut.,  114,  309,  405,  417. 
Moore,  J.  W.,  Col,  248,  249,  250,  251, 

3l6,  3J7,  396- 
Moorhead,  Lieut.,  117. 
Morford,  W.  E.,  Capt.,  416. 
Morgan,  Lieut.  Col.,  344. 
Morris,  Brig.  Gen.,  209. 
Mott,  G.,  Maj.  Gen.,  209,  212,  216,  217, 
229,  230,  240. 

Neeper,  Major,  395. 

Neill,  T.  H.,  Capt.,  28. 

New  Hampshire  2d  Vols.,  394. 

New  Hampshire  3d  Vols.,  415,  417. 

New  Hampshire  7th  Vols.,  271. 

New  Jersey  ist  Battery,  135,  187,  377,  378, 

392,394,40i,4i4- 
New  Jersey  5tli  Battery,  273. 
New  Jersey  6th  Battery,  135,  187. 
New  Jersey  3d  Vols.,  414,  416. 
New  Jersey  5th  Vols.,  336,  394,  414. 
New  Jersey  6th  Vols.,  414. 
New  Jersey  7th  Vols.,  414. 


New  Jersey  8th  Vols.,  414,  418. 
New  Jersey  nth  Vols.,  414. 
New  York  Herald,  31,  119,  135,  150,  160, 
187,  196,  208,  235,  261,  269,  285, 

303- 
New  York  ist  Vols.,  64,  69,  252,  361,  365, 

368,  413. 

New  York  6th  Battery,  414. 
New  York  37th  Vols.,  134,  339,  343,  344, 

346,  360,  371,  377,  380,   390,  392, 

413. 
New  York  381)1  Vols.,  27,  39,  50,  70,  90, 

94,  114,   1 60,   336,   337,   338,   339, 

34°,  34i,  342,  347,  348,  355,  3^9, 
370,  386,  396,  413,  418. 

New  York  4oth  Vols.,  40,  47,  48,  50,  51, 
69,  9°,  94,  148,  236,  250,  336,  338, 
339,  340,  34i,  342,  347,  348,  349, 
355,  365,  366,  368,  370,  379,  381, 
386,  387,  396,  399,  401,  413,  415, 
416,  417. 

New  York  551)1  Vols.,  90,91,95,370,  371, 
396,413. 

New  York  6ist  Vols.,  361. 

New  York  64th  Vols.,  116. 

New  York  7ist  Vols.,  413. 

New  York  73d  Vols.,  413. 

New  York  86th  Vols.,  396,  398,  413. 

New  York  87th  Vols.,  361,  396,  413. 

New  York  93d  Vols.,  413,  415. 

New  York  loist  Vols.,  69,  365,  366,  371, 
396,  413,  417. 

New  York  i2oth  Vols.,  413. 

New  York  1241!!  Vols.,  413. 

New  York  Mounted  Rifles,  270. 

Newton,  Maj.  Gen.,  97,  397,  402. 

Noble,  C.,  Jr.,  Capt.  236,  276,  309,  417. 

North  American  and  U.  S.  Gazette,  280. 

Norton,  Lieut.,  354. 

O'Beirne,  J.,  Capt.,  344 
Ohio  62d  Vols.,  271. 
Ord,  Maj.  Gen.,  258,  261. 
Owen,  Brig.  Gen.,  114,  116,  217. 
Owens,  W.  H.,  Capt.,  417. 


INDEX. 


Paine,  Maj.  Gen.,  258,  259,  263. 
Pancoast,  Surgeon,  367,  417. 
Pancoast,  J.  R.,  Lieut.,  417. 
Patterson,  Maj.  Gen.,  17,  20,  21,  22,  23,  26. 
Peck,  Brig.  Gen.,  343,  345. 
Pennsylvania  ist  Artillery,  13. 
Pennsylvania  zd  Cavalry,  61. 
Pennsylvania  3d  Cavalry,  59. 
Pennsylvania  6th  Vols.,  21. 
Pennsylvania  nth  Vols.,  21,  22. 
Pennsylvania  2ist  Vols.,  21. 
Pennsylvania  23d  Vols.,  18,  19,  21,  22,  25, 

26,  50,  276,  283,  285,  286,  307,  309, 

323,  348,  416,  417. 
Pennsylvania  57th  Vols.,  40,  41,  51,  70,  90, 

93.   94,   345,   348,   349,   355,  3<56, 

369,  370,  37i,  373,  379,  38i,   385, 

395,  398,  4i4,  416. 
Pennsylvania  63d  Vols.,  40,  41,   148,  199, 

215,  343,  344,  345,  360,   365,   366, 

372,  378,  379,  385,  395,  398>  4H- 
Pennsylvania  65th  Vols.,  92. 
Pennsylvania  68th   Vols.,   379,  383,  395, 

398,  414. 

Pennsylvania  8ist  Vols.,  362. 
Pennsylvania  84fh  Vols.,  414. 
Pennsylvania  87th  Vols.,  209. 
Pennsylvania  991!)  Vols.,  90,  91,  95,  248, 

249,  370,  37i,  388,  389,   396,   398, 

414,  416,  418. 
Pennsylvania  io5th  Vols.,  40,  41,  337,  343, 

344,  36i,  365,  367,  379,   383,   384, 

395,  398,  4I4,  4i5,  4i7. 
Pennsylvania  uoth  Vols.,   396,   399,  414, 

417. 
Pennsylvania   ii4th  Vols.,   92,  114,  190, 

197,  37',  379,  382,  383,   395,  398> 

4H,  415,  4J6. 

Pennsylvania  1191!!  Vols.,  236,  417. 
Pennsylvania  14151  Vols.,  379,  384,  395, 

398,  414. 

Pennsylvania  i87th  Vols.,  308. 
Pennsylvania  1991!!  Vols.,  66,  251,  252,415. 
Pennsylvania  203d  Vols.,   249,  250,  251, 

316 


Pennsylvania  21 3th  Vols.,  250. 
Phillip,  H.  W.,  Lieut.,  417. 
Phillips,  Lieut.,  369,  417. 
Phillips,  C.  H.,  Lieut.,  417. 
Philadelphia  City  Troup,  14,  21,  165,  170, 
173,  *79»  3°8,  320. 

Philadelphia  Inquirer,  18,  112,  158,  165, 
249,  281,  356. 
Philadelphia  Press,  299. 
Pierce,   B.  R.,  Col.,  222,  343,  367,   380, 

396,   405. 

Pierce,  E.  S.,  Capt.,  343. 
Pitcher,  Major,  350. 
Plaisted,  H.  M.,  Col.,  270. 
Pleasanton,  Maj.  Gen.,  142,  143,  146,  378. 
Poe,  Col.,  63,  336,  337,  339,  345,  365,  369. 
Pond,  F.  B.,  Col.,  241,  268,  270. 
Pope,  J.,  Maj.  Gen.,  33,  61,  63,  69,  71,  72, 

365,  366. 

Porter,  A.,  Brig.  Gen.,  351,  352. 
Potter,  Maj.  Gen.,  229. 
Potter,  Capt.,  344,  345. 
Prince,  Brig.  Gen.,  203,  403,  404,  405. 
Pulford,  J.,  Col.,  396. 

Rand,  Col.,  260. 
Randall,  S.  J.,  Hon.,  170,  308. 
Randlett,  J.  F.,  Major,  417. 
Randolph.     (See  ist  R.  I.  Battery.) 
Raphael,  Lieut.,  114. 

Reno,  Maj.  Gen.,  69,   71,   72,  366,  367, 

368,   369. 

Reynolds,  Maj.  Gen.,  88,  90,  92,  95,  97, 

98,  100,  181,  182,  184,  370,  372. 

Reynolds,  Surgeon,  115. 

Rhode  Island  ist  Battery,  69,  90,  91,  136, 

201,  273,  346,  364,  367,   368,   371, 

373,  378,  394,  4i3- 
Richardson,  Gen.,  31,  42. 
Ricketts,  Maj.  Gen.,  63,  366. 
Riley,  Col.,  27,  40,  336,  338,  339,  341. 
Roberts,  Col.,  371. 
Robinson,  Brig.  Gen.,  63,  64,  70,  89,  92, 

102,  217,  359,  361,  363,  364,  365, 

366,  367,  369,  372. 


INDEX. 


XI 


Robins,  C.  M.,  Capt.,  417. 
Rogers,  E.  M.,  167. 
Rogers,  Lieut.,  417. 
Russel,  Col.,  349. 

Salm  Salm,  Col.,  115,  116,  122,  128. 

Searle,  Lieut.,  117. 

Sedgvvick,  Maj.  Gen.,  27,  30,  42,  187,  202, 

355- 

Seeley's  Battery,  394,  414. 
Seibrie,  Lieut.,  115. 
Sheridan,  Maj.  Gen.,  225,  302,  330. 
Sherman,  Maj.  Gen.,  302,  330. 
Sherwood.  Lieut.  Col.,  380. 
Shoup,  S.,  Lieut.,  118. 
Shreve,  W.  P.,  Lieut.,  230,  235,  315,  417. 
Sickles,  Maj.  Gen.,  31,  76,  77,  97,  99,  100, 
108,  in,  121,  127,  131,   133,   134, 

!35,  J38,  139,  142,  i44>  '45*  T46, 
147,  148,  150,  1 60,  174,  177,  178, 
181,  183,  184,  185,  186,  188,  190, 
193,  194,  195,  301,  302,  307,  308, 
309,  311,  312,  326,  376,  377,  378, 
379,  38o,  393,  394,  395,  401,  4°2- 

Sides,  P.,  Col.,  117,  307,  380,  395. 

Siegel,  Maj.  Gen.,  367. 

Sleeper's  Battery,  413. 

Slocum,  Maj.  Gen.,  134,  183,  359,  376, 

377,  379- 

Smith,  Maj.  Gen.,  101,  227,  228,  234. 
Smith,  Capt.  and  Adj.,  337,  345. 
Smith,  E.  W.,  Lieut.  Col.,  236,  244,  315, 

410,  417. 

Smith,  J.  C.,  Capt.,  343. 
Smith,  P.  J.,  Lieut.,  344. 
Smith,  R.  J.,  Dr.,  417. 
Smith,  T.  J.,  322. 
Smith's  Battery,  393,  394,  400. 
South  Carolina  6th  Vols.,  346. 
Spalding,  Major,  117. 
Stannard,  Maj.  Gen.,  263,  263. 
Staples,  Col.,  27. 

Stevens,  Maj.  Gen.,  69,  70,  366,  368. 
Stevens,  A.  A.,  Lieut.  Col.,  343. 
Stevens,  A.  H.,  Major,  417. 


Stevenson,  Brig.  Gen.,  217. 

Stimson,  L.  A.,  Lieut.,  417. 

Stone,  Brig.  Gen.,  27. 

Stoneman,  Maj.  Gen.,  79,  85,  87,  88,  89, 

96,  97,  98,  100,  107,  in,  128,  132, 

370,  372. 

Stoughton,  Lieut.  Col.,  215,  396,  397. 
Strait,  H.  J.,  Capt.,  417. 
Strong,  Lieut.  Col.,  338,  342. 
Stuart,  Gen.,  12,  149,  177,  178. 
Stuart,  G.  H.,  Brig.  Gen.,  219. 
Stuart,  G.  H.,  Esq.,  325. 
Sturgess,  W.  E.,  Capt.,  54,  337,  342,  345, 
347,  348,  351,  354- 
Sulger,  L,  411,  412. 

Sumner,  Maj.  Gen.,  42,  89,  335,  349,  350. 
Sumner,  Col.,  270. 
Sumner,  Capt.,  370. 
|  Sweet,  J.  E.,  Capt.,  236,  417. 
Sydam,  Capt.,  51,  349. 
Sykes,  Maj.  Gen.,  184,  394. 

Talmann,  J.  H.,  Capt.,  114,  417. 
Taylor,  Brig.  Gen.,  361,  362. 
Terry,  Col.,  339. 

Terry,  A.  H.,  Maj.  Gen.,  241,  259,  260, 
261,  264,  267,  270,  275,  315. 
Thomas,  Maj.  Gen.,  20,  225,  330. 
Thompson,  Capt.,  338,  346,  359,  360,  363. 
Tippen,  Col.,  380,  395,  402. 
Tobias,  J.  F.,  Major,  44,  51,  83,  328,  348, 

417. 

Torbert,  Brig.  Gen.,  209,  222. 
Tremain,  Major,  394. 
Trepp,  Lieut.  Col.,  406. 
Tripler,  Surgeon,  340. 
Turnbull's   Battery,   133,    134,   136,  376, 

378,  394,  4i4- 
Turner,  Maj.  Gen.,  236. 
Tyler,  R.  O.,  Maj.  Gen.,  59, 160,  221,  222. 

United  States  Sharp-shooters,  155,  183, 
201,  215,  377,  393,  396,  398,  402, 
405,  414,  415,  417. 

United  States  7th  Infantry,  339 


Xll 


INDEX. 


United  States  9th  Infantry,  236,  416. 
United  States  ist  Artillery,  "D,"  265,  273, 

367. 

United  States  2d  Artillery,  "G,"  346,  359, 
360,  363,  369,414. 

United  States  3d  Artillery,  "E,"  273,414. 
United  States  3d  Artillery,  "K,"  414. 

Vincent,  Col.,  118. 

Von  Schaick,  Col.,  115,  116,  122,  128. 

Wadsworth,  Brig.  Gen.,  215,  216. 

Wainwright,  Major,  336,  337. 

Warberg,  A.  C.,  Lieut.  Col.,  418. 

Ward,  J.  H.  H.,  Brig.  Gen.,  27,  39,  88,  89, 
90,  91,  92,  94,  95,  102,  114,  119, 
134,  148,  183,  187,  196,  209,  212, 
336,  337,  338,  34-i,  345,  350,  355, 
37°,  371,  372,  377,  38°,  393,  396, 
397,  401,  402,  404. 


Walker,  E.,  Col.,  346,  365,  367,  370,  396. 
Walker,  F.,  Capt.,  381,  418. 
Warren,  Maj.  Gen.,  203,  221,  222,  223, 

405. 

Watkins,  Col.,  117,  118. 
Weitzel,  Maj.  Gen.,  263. 
Welsh,  Col.,  1 1 8. 
West,  G.  W.,  Major,  116. 
Wheeler,  J.,  Col.,  377,  380,  396. 
Whipple,  Brig.  Gen.,  132,  139,  141,  142, 

143,  U7,  if1,  IS2,  378. 
Whiteford,  Capt.,  115. 
Willard,  Brig.  Gen.,  189. 
Williams,  Gen.,  134,  139,  141,  145. 
Williams,  S.,  Gen.,  352,  353,  377. 
Winebrenner,  D.  C.,  Capt.,  418. 
Winebrenner,  D.  S.,  328. 
Winslow's  Battery,  393,  401,  402,  414. 
Wisconsin  ist  Vols.,  21. 
Wisconsin  4th  Battery,  265. 


PAKENTAGE. 


BELL  BIRNEY  was  born  in 
Hunts  ville,  Alabama,  on  the  29th  day 
of  May,  1825.  His  father,  James  G. 
Birney,  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men 
of  his  generation,  and  his  son  inherited  some 
of  those  qualities  which  have  made  his  father's 
name  a  household  word  wherever  the  love  of  truth  and  free 
dom  prevails.  After  graduating  with  honor  at  Yale  College, 
James  G.  Birney  studied  law  in  Philadelphia,  in  the  office  of 
Alexander  J.  Dallas.  When  admitted  to  the  bar,  he  went  to 
Kentucky,  his  native  State,  and  remained  there  for  several 
years. 

After  his  marriage,  he  removed  to  Huntsville,  Alabama, 
where  all  the  children  of  his  first  marriage  were  born.  He 
associated  himself  with  Arthur  G.  Hopkins,  (who  subse 
quently  became  Governor  of  the  State,)  and  was  soon  one 
of  the  leaders  of  the  Bar  of  Alabama. 

In  1834,  the  Legislature  of  the  State  appointed  James  G. 
Birney  a  Commissioner  to  go  North  and  select  the  members 
of  the  Faculty  for  the  State  University,  then  about  to  be 

l  0) 


2  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

established  at  Tuscaloosa.  His  learning,  fine  social  qualities, 
and  keen  judgment  of  human  nature,  eminently  fitted  him 
for  this  duty,  which  he  successfully  performed. 

Among  other  gentlemen  selected  by  him,  was  F.  A.  P. 
Barnard,  lately  elected  President  of  Columbia  4  College,  New 
York,  whose  attainments  and  reputation  as  a  scholar  and 
man  of  science,  have  fully  justified  the  discrimination  which 
more  than  thirty  years  ago  called  him  to  a  scat  among  the 
faculty  of  the  Alabama  University.  The  writer  passed  the 
early  part  of  his  collegiate  life  at  this  institution,  and  can 
bear  witness  to  the  fact,  that  few  institutions  of  learning 
in  our  country  have  been  directed  by  more  able  or  more 
competent  instructors. 

During  his  visit  North,  James  G.  Birney,  actuated  by  a 
liberality  of  spirit  which  at  that  time  was  seldom  found  among 
men  living  south  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  attended  Anti- 
slavery  meetings  in  Philadelphia,  New  York,  and  Boston. 
By  the  arguments  he  heard  advanced,  he  became  convinced 
that  it  was  the  duty  of  every  slaveholder  to  give  his  slaves 
every  opportunity  of  going  to  Africa,  and  he  returned  home 
a  strong  Colonizationist.  In  the  right  of  his  wife,  and  by 
purchase,  he  was  the  owner  of  a  number  of  slaves,  and  to 
all  who  desired  to  go  to  Africa,  he  offered  every  facility. 
Many  went,  but  he  still  remained  the  owner  of  enough  to 
make  any  man  poor  during  the  years  of  the  rebellion. 
In  a  few  years  his  professional  business  again  called  him 
North,  and  the  result  of  the  second  visit  was  that  he  became 
an  Emancipationist.  On  his  return  home,  he  emancipated 
all  his  slaves,  and  though  partially  impoverished  by  this 
course,  became  desirous  of  converting  others  to  his  (at  that 


PARENTAGE.  3 

time)  peculiar  theory.  This,  however,  did  not  suit  the  lati 
tude  of  Huntsville,  and  his  residence  there  was  uncomfortable. 
This  induced  him  to  take  his  little  family  northward,  and  in 
1838,  he  returned  to  Kentucky,  with  the  intention  of  estab 
lishing  an  Anti-Slavery  paper  in  that  State.  From  this, 
however,  he  was  dissuaded  by  his  friends,  and  they  convinced 
him  that  such  a  course  would  do  more  harm  than  good  to 
the  cause  of  which  he  had  become  so  zealous  an  advocate. 
He  then  removed  to  Cincinnati,  and  established  the  "Phi 
lanthropist"  the  first  press  of  the  country  devoted  exclu 
sively  to  the  cause  of  freedom.  Even  in  that  city  public 
opinion  was  unprepared  for  such  an  institution  as  an  Anti- 
Slavery  paper,  and  three  times  the  office  was  mobbed  and 
the  types  thrown  into  "  pi "  in  the  streets.  But  the  editor 
was  in  earnest,  and  never  failed  to  get  out  his  edition  as 
per  contract. 

During  his  residence  in  Cincinnati,  James  G.  Birney  made 
many  warm  friends  among  the  progressive  men  of  that  city 
and  vicinity.  Among  others,  Salmon  P.  Chase,  now  the 
Chief  Justice  of  the  United  States,  was  drawn  to  him  and 
aided  his  enterprize  both  by  his  personal  and  professional 
character.  Judge  Chase  was  then  a  hard-working  lawyer  in 
Ohio,  but  he  was  a  big-hearted  and  liberal-minded  man. 
He  aided  by  all  the  means  in  his  power  the  Pioneer  in 
the  Anti-Slavery  movement,  and  in  later  years  he  did  all 
he  could  to  secure  the  success  of  David  B.,  the  son  of 
his  former  friend,  James  G.  Birney,  because,  as  he  once 
told  the  writer,  "his  heart  was  in  the  cause  by  hereditary 
right."  All  honor  to  a  man  who  has  never  in  public  life 
deserted  the  principles  of  his  early  manhood,  and  ma"}'  lie 


4  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

long  live  to  adorn  the  highest  judicial  office  of  the  Western 
Continent. 

In  1844,  James  G.  Birney  was  nominated  as  a  candidate 
for  the  Presidency  by  those  men  of  the  Anti-Slavery  party 
who  at  that  early  day  thought  it  their  duty  to  their  country 
to  organize,  believing  that  the  time  would  come  when,  from 
their  small  beginning,  the  entire  North  would  be  converted 
to  their  way  of  thinking.  Their  candidate  never  entertained 
the  hope  of  securing  an  electoral  vote,  but  this  did  not  deter 
him  from  accepting  the  nomination.  He  believed  that  the 
organization  of  a  regiment  would  be  the  nucleus  of  an  army 
which  would  carry  its  standard  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific,  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  As 
old  John  Brown,  in  I860,  marched  into  Virginia  with  a  mere 
squad  of  men,  on  an  expedition  which  he  knew  was  Quixotic, 
and  would  result  in  the  sacrifice  of  his  life,  so  James  G. 
Birney,  in  1844,  headed  an  expedition  which  resulted  in 
his  political  death.  The  vote  stood  in  the  aggregate  as 
follows:  for  James  K.  Polk,  1,335,834;  for  Henry  Clay, 
1,297,033;  for  James  G.  Birney,  64,653.  The  result  of 
the  election  to  Mr.  Birney  was  his  bitter  denunciation  by 
the  friends  of  Henry  Clay.  Every  press  in  the  country  of 
Whig  principles,  and  every  politician  disappointed  in  his 
aspirations  for  office,  aided  to  build  Birney's  political  tomb. 
In  social  circles  the  same  feeling  prevailed,  and  the  name  of 
Birney  was,  throughout  the  Union,  put  on  the  same  page  of 
history  with  that  of  Nero,  Jeffcries,  Arnold,  &c.  But  "  tem- 
pora  mutantur."  In  1861,  the  first  shot  fired  on  Fort  Sumter 
drove  away  the  fog,  and  when  it  was  lifted  from  the  ground, 
the  men  who  stood  by  James  G.  Birney  in  1844,  came  forth 


PARENTAGE.  5 

to  vindicate  the  principles  they  had  so  long  advocated,  and 
they  were  reinforced  by  an  army  which  is  "marching  on" 
to  freedom  and  the  vindication  of  the  rights  of  man. 

James  G.  Birncy,  however,  was  not  influenced  by  any  con 
siderations  which  could  swerve  him  from  what  he  considered 
the  path  of  duty.  His  principles  were  not  altered  by  the 
opinions  or  conduct  of  those  around  him.  He  died  in  1858, 
believing  that  he  had  done  his  duty,  as  a  patriot  and  a  man, 
to  his  country  and  his  generation,  without  any  regret  that  he 
had  not  held  office,  and  blaming  no  one  because  his  life  had 
been  an  unappreciated  struggle  for  an  idea  in  advance  of  the 
age  in  which  he  lived. 


EDUCATION"  AND  EAELT  LIFE. 


^vDUCATED  by  such  a  father,  and  under 
such  auspices,  it  is  not  at  all  strange 
that  the  subject  of  our  sketch  should 
have  been  a  few  years  ahead  of  the  age 
in  which  he  lived.  Until  the  com 
mencement  of  the  rebellion  he  never 


s 


had  an  opportunity  of  giving  a  practical  effect  to  his  early 
notions  of  the  duty  of  a  man  in  the  nineteenth  century  in 
America.  He  never  essayed  to  go  beyond  his  own  social 
circle,  but  in  this  his  political  opinions  were  well  known 
and  ridiculed,  until  the  country  learned  to  understand  them. 

He  was  educated  at  Andovcr,  Massachusetts,  and  though 
after  leaving  college  his  pursuits  were  of  an  active  character, 
his  retentive  memory  never  lost  that  training  he  had  received 
at  college.  At  all  times,  in  conversation  or  in  writing,  his 
quotations  from  the  classic  or  English  authors  were  correct 
and  appropriate.  There  are  few  men  whose  avocations  after 
graduation  were  like  those  of  General  Birney's,  who  retained 
so  much  of  the  mechanical  part  of  education. 

After  leaving  the  University  he  embarked  in  business  in 

Cincinnati  with  a  house  that  had  been  established  for  some 

years.     Disaster  soon  overtook  them,  and  the  junior  partner — 

the  future  major-general — before  he  was  of  age,  found  himself 

(6) 


EDUCATION    AND    EARLY    LIFE.  7 

overwhelmed  by  debt.  This,  however,  did  not  dampen  his 
energy.  He  accepted  a  position,  as  agent  of  P.  Choteau  & 
Co.,,  and  went  to  live  at  Upper  Saginaw,  Michigan,  then  a 
trading  station  with  the  Indians.  Here,  for  several  years,  he 
devoted  himself  incessantly  to  the  interests  of  his  employers, 
and  his  services  were  duly  appreciated.  The  climate,  how 
ever,  did  not  suit  his  health,  and  in  spite  of  favorable  offers 
to  remain,  he  cut  himself  loose  from  the  advantages  of  several 
years'  connection,  and  with  his  wife  and  one  child  sought  his 
fortunes  anew. 

During  his  residence  in  Michigan  he  had  studied  law, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  The  profession,  however, 
did  not  afford  him  a  livelihood,  and  he  was  compelled,  by 
necessity,  to  seek  other  means  of  subsistence.  Coming  to 
Philadelphia  in  1848,  he  accepted  the  first  situation  that  was 
offered  him,  a  position  as  transcribing  clerk  in  a  mercantile 
agency,  at  a  salary  of  six  dollars  a  week.  This,  however, 
was  only  the  entering  wedge,  and  in  less  than  three  months 
he  was  the  selected  travelling  agent  of  the  establishment,  and 
spent  six  months  in  travelling  throughout  the  country  and 
establishing  those  relations  for  the  institution  (then  an  experi 
ment)  which  laid  the  foundation  of  its  subsequent  usefulness 
and  success.  Within  less  than  a  year  from  his  first  connec 
tion  with  the  agency  he  was  its  chief  manager  and  director. 
In  this  position  he  remained  until  July,  1856,  during  which 
time  he  formed  the  acquaintance  of  the  principal  business 
men  and  firms  of  Philadelphia.  They  all  entrusted  him 
with  their  confidence,  and  many  of  them  were  indebted  to 
him  for  their  prominence  and  success.  It  was  his  faculty 
to  make  friends  of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact,  and 


8  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

many  houses  availed  themselves  of  his  judgment  and  sagacity 
in  the  prosecution  of  their,,  business. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  1856,  a  circumstance  transpired 
which  made  him  determine  to  give  up  the  management  of 
the  agency.  He  had  for  some  time  been  contemplating  a 
business  arrangement  with  a  friend,  and  during  the  day 
on  which  he  resolved  to  give  up  his  position  in  the  agency, 
he  sent  for  the  writer,  and  requested  an  interview  at  his 
house  that  evening.  This  took  place,  and  in  less  than 
an  hour,  new  business  arrangements  were  effected.  By  the 
next  morning  at  ten  o'clock,  General  Birney  and  his  new 
partner  had  taken  an  office  on  Third  street,  Philadelphia,  by 
buying  out  a  lease  and  going  into  possession  at  once.  This 
business  was  purely  of  a  legal  character,  and  suited  his  tastes 
and  education  better  than  any  in  which  he  had  ever  been 
engaged.  He  prosecuted  it  with  eminent  success  until  the 
16th  day  of  April,  1861,  when  he  left  office  and  practice  to 
engage  in  the  war  which  had  been  commenced  to  test  the 
right  and  capacity  of  man  for  self-government.  His  duties 
in  the  partnership  were  the  office  practice  and  the  corres 
pondence,  which  under  his  care  became  very  large.  His 
clients  were  among  all  classes  of  the  community,  and  in  all 
branches  of  business.  For  all  he  had  an  attentive  ear  and 
timely  suggestions.  Few  men  have  ever  been  able  to  attach 
their  clients  to  them  personally  more  closely  than  Birney.  A 
business  acquaintance  with  him  nearly  always  resulted  in  a 
lasting  friendship,  and  when  he  gave  up  the  office  for  the 
tent  his  absence  was  a  loss  to  many  of  his  old  friends 
during  the  commercial  troubles  of  1861. 

This  faculty  of  making  friends  extended  to  his  numerous 


EDUCATION    AND    EARLY    LIFE.  9 

correspondents.  Few  men  could  write  a  letter  with  more 
ease  and  grace  than  Birney ;  using  very  few  words,  but  those 
well  chosen  and  expressive  of  his  meaning.  He  exchanged 
friendly  letters  with  many  men  whom  he  had  never  met, 
and  the  frankness  with  which  his  correspondents  in  all  parts 
of  the  country,  many  of  whom  were  leading  men  in  their 
respective  localities,  expressed  to  him  their  views,  was  unusual 
in  letters  whose  chief  purpose  was  business.  With  the  South 
his  correspondence  was  very  extensive,  and  during  the  sum 
mer  and  fah1  of  1860,  he  thus  had  an  opportunity  of  knowing 
the  sentiments  of  men  in  ah1  parts  of  the  South  and  South 
west. 


MILITAEY 


FTER  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln, 
Birney  formed  and  expressed  the 
opinion  that  many  of  the  Southern 
States  were  really  in  earnest  in  their 
threats  of  secession,  and  that  they 
would  make  the  effort  in  a  body. 
This  idea  was  then  several  months  in 
advance  of  the  times,  and  he  found 

few  who  agreed  with  him.  Having  always  been  an  inde 
pendent  thinker,  the  failure  to  make  converts  to  his  views 
did  not  disconcert  him  in  the  least;  nor  could  any  argument 
convince  him  that  he  was  in  error.  He  resolved  that  he 
would  engage  in  the  coming  conflict,  and  at  once  put  him 
self  under  instruction  in  the  mechanical  duties  of  a  soldier, 
and  studied  closely  the  best  authorities  on  tactics,  engineer 
ing,  &c.  Thus  he  had  the  advantage  of  nearly  six  months 
longer  preparation  than  others  who  went  into  the  army  from 
civil  life,  and  this  preparation  told  effectually  upon  his  mili 
tary  career.  So  well  known  were  his  views  and  efforts  to 
qualify  himself  for  the  vocation  he  intended  to  adopt,  that 
after  the  inauguration  of  a  new  Governor  of  Pennsylvania, 
in  January,  1861,  some  of  the  leading  men  of  the  State 
urged  upon  Governor  Curtin  the  appointment  of  Birney  as 
Adjutant-General  of  Pennsylvania.  The  place  had  been  a 
(10) 


MILITARY    TRAINING.  11 

sinecure  for  years,  its  principal  labor  being  the  receipt  of  a 
small  salary,  and  the  incumbent  always  left  the  office  a 
"General"  for  life.  In  January,  1861,  the  time  was  approach 
ing  when  Pennsylvania  would  be  compelled  to  burnish  up  the 
rusty  old  sabres  in  her  arsenals,  and  make  an  effort  to  fire 
powder  and  ball  from  the  old  muskets  which  had  only  been 
of  service  to  frighten  little  boys  at  a  militia  training.  The 
men  who  urged  Birney's  name  had  began  to  believe  that 
the  cris's  was  really  approaching,  and  knowing  his  energy 
of  character  and  unusual  business  qualifications,  wanted  such 
a  man  in  the  office.  Birney,  however,  took  little  interest 
in  the  movement,  saying  he  would  prefer  active  service  to 
"fancy  duty,"  and  was  not  appointed,  because  he  could  not 
control  his  precinct  or  carry  his  ward.  Having  never  been 
proprietor  of  a  corner  grocery  store,  his  political  influence 
was  somewhat  limited,  and  his  fitness  for  a  civil  office  was 
not  easily  demonstrated. 

Among  other  preparatory  measures  which  Birney  adopted, 
was  to  secure  his  election  in  December,  1860,  as  Lieutenant- 
colonel  of  a  regiment  of  Philadelphia  militia.  This  organiza 
tion  was  like  others  of  the  same  kind  in  Pennsylvania,  a 
mere  skeleton,  and  had  never  been  together  even  in  its 
dilapidated  condition,  except  at  an  election  for  officers  or  a 
dinner.  The  whole  militia  system  of  the  State  was  a  by 
word  and  disgrace  to  any  community.  Better  have  had 
none  than  the  feeble  imitation  of  other  States  which  ex 
isted,  and  which  only  entailed  upon  the  Commonwealth 
expense  without  advantage.  Yet,  in  times  of  peace,  there 
may  have  been  some  excuse  for  such  neglect,  but  what 
criticism  can  be  made  when  it  is  known  that  now  (April, 


12  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

1865)  our  system  is  still  upon  the  peace  basis!  Four 
years  of  war  and  three  invasions  of  Pennsylvania  could  not 
convince  our  law-givers  that  there  has  been  necessity  for 
organization  and  for  efforts  which  a  regard  for  our  common 
welfare  should  call  forth.  When  our  homes  have  been 
invaded,  the  defence  which  came  from  State  authority  has 
been  purely  spasmodic,  and  our  militia  have  become  a  jest 
and  by-word  from  Maine  to  Colorado.  Yet  this  is  not  from 
any  want  of  courage  or  willingness  on  the  part  of  our  people 
to  do  their  whole  duty. 

In  1862,  when  General  Lee  and  his  veterans,  preceded  by 
Stuart  and  his  cavalry,  were  marching  up  the  Cumberland 
Valley,  the  people  of  Pennsylvania  responded  nobly  to  the 
call  of  their  governor.  More  than  seventy  thousand  men 
volunteered  to  take  the  field  in  less  than  ten  days.  When 
they  came  forward  by  companies  and  regiments  they  could 
get  no  arms,  equipments,  or  tents.  The  promises  made  them 
were  broken;  they  were  subjected  to  every  inconvenience 
which  human  nature  could  endure,  and  it  was  not  until  late 
in  1863  that  they  were  paid  the  small  pittance  which  the 
State  promised  them.  When,  in  1863,  General  Lee  again 
came  into  the  Keystone  State,  is  it  any  wonder  that  the 
same  men  who  had  been  badly  treated  the  year  before  hesi 
tated  to  respond  to  the  calls  from  Harrisburg  until  they  knew 
what  was  in  store  for  them  ?  It  is  sometimes  impossible  to 
believe  that  the  rulers  of  Pennsylvania  ever  discovered  that 
a  civil  war  was  raging  in  the  land.  Their  neglect  of 
plain  duty  and  disregard  of  all  sense  of  manly  honor  can 
be  explained  on  no  other  hypothesis. 

It  is  true,  that  in  May,  1864,  after  more  than  three  years 


MILITARY    TRAINING.  13 

of  war,  a  law  was  passed  to  organize  a  militia  system,  and 
by  its  provisions  all  the  volunteer  organizations  throughout 
the  State  were  swept  away,  though  they  were  then,  and  have 
been  for  years,  the  only  nucleus  of  organization.  This 
blunder  was  rectified  in  August,  1864,  by  a  supplement, 
passed  at  the  extra  session ;  but  it  was  then  almost  too  late. 
The  damage  had  been  done.  Up  to  April,  1865,  the 
efforts  to  put  in  operation  the  provisions  of  the  law  have 
been  feeble  and  unsuccessful.  Had  David  B.  Birney  been 
Adjutant-general  of  Pennsylvania  in  1861,  there  would  have 
been  a  different  order  of  things.  It  is  possible  he  might 
have  increased  the  State  debt,  but  he  never  would  have  exer 
cised  the  power  and  influence  which  such  an  office  would 
have  given  him  without  providing  some  system  by  which  a 
population  of  more  than  two  millions  of  people  would  have 
been  able  to  make,  in  the  time  of  danger,  an  effort  to  defend 
themselves. 

This,  however,  is  a  digression.  The  object  of  this  sketch 
is  to  narrate  what  has  been  done,  and  not  to  theorize  or  to 
find  fault  with  things  as  they  are,  unless  it  can  be  shown 
how  they  may  be  improved. 

When  Birney  was,  in  pursuance  of  the  election  held  in 
December,  1860,  commissioned  as  "Lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
First  regiment  of  Artillery  of  the  uniformed  militia  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  in  the  Third  Brigade  of  the 
First  Division,  composed  of  the  uniformed  militia  of  the  city 
and  county  of  Philadelphia,"  by  Governor  Curtin,  on  the  22d 
of  February,  1861,  his  qualifications  for  the  office,  though 
beyond  the  average  standard  then  existing,  consisted  in  the 
knowledge  he  had  acquired  by  three  months  of  study,  and 


14  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

by  his  experience  as  a  member  of  the  First  Troop  of  Philar 
delphia  City  Cavalry. 

This  organization  dates  its  existence  as  far  back  as  No 
vember  17,  1774;  and  during  the  Ee volution  performed 
services  for  which  they  were  commended  by  General  Wash 
ington  in  official  orders,  which  they  acknowledged,  on  Sep 
tember  15,  1787,  by  giving  to  the  general  "a  splendid 
entertainment  at  the  City  Tavern,  Philadelphia."  In  1794, 
during  the  Whiskey  Rebellion,  they  were  in  the  saddle 
for  three  months,  going  to  the  western  part  of  Penn 
sylvania.  On  March  20,  1799,  after  two  hours'  notice, 
they  took  part  in  the  Northampton  expedition.  On  May 
29,  1812,  they  volunteered  their  services  in  the  anticipated 
war  with  Great  Britain,  and  were  in  service  during  the  war. 
In  December,  1838,  they  took  part  in  the  "Buckshot  War" 
at  Harrisburg.  After  this,  with  the  exception  of  aiding  occa 
sionally  to  quell  a  riot  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  they  rested 
upon  their  laurels  until  May,  1861,  when,  after  considerable 
delay  in  procuring  horses  and  equipments,  they  served  the 
United  States  for  three  months.  In  June,  1863,  after  less 
than  thirty  hours  of  preparation,  they  were  again  in  the 
saddle  for  ninety  days.  Though  not  in  the  war  for  three 
years  as  a  body,  more  than  eighty  of  their  members  have 
been  in  the  service,  filling  commissions  of  all  grades,  from 
second  lieutenant  to  that  of  major-general. 

During  Birney's  connection  with  the  Troop  the  duties  of  the 
members  consisted  principally  in  eating  an  annual  dinner, 
in  acting  as  the  Body  Guard  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States  whenever  he  came  to  Philadelphia,  and  in  attending 
the  funerals  of  their  deceased  members.  All  these  duties 


MILITARY     TRAINING.  15 

Bimey  performed  for  years  with  the  most  punctilious  exact 
ness,  and  though  he  was  one  of  the  best  horsemen  in  the 
troop,  and  was  always  well  mounted,  he  could  never  attain 
any  position  higher  than  that  of  a  private.  This,  however, 
gave  him  opportunity  for  exercise,  which  his  sedentary  life 
made  so  necessary  for  him,  and  made  him  familiar  with  the 
volunteer  organizations  of  the  city,  so  that  when  his  com 
mission  of  February,  1861,  as  lieutenant-colonel  arrived,  he 
was  fully  competent  to  fulfil  all  the  requirements  of  the 
position. 


OPENING   OF  THE  EEBELLIOK 

HE  regiment  with  which  he  was  connected 
never  assembled  for  drill  or  parade,  but 
still  Birney  regarded  it  as  an  organization, 
and  when  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  on  the  15th  day  of  April,  1861, 
issued  his  proclamation  calling  out  seventy- 
five  thousand  of  the  militia  of  the  dif 
ferent  States,  Birney  determined  to  act.  The  proclamation 
was  posted  on  the  bulletin  boards  of  the  city  about  twelve 
o'clock  of  the  day  of  its  issue.  Without  consulting  any  other 
officer,  Birney  at  once  telegraphed  to  Harrisburg  that  his 
regiment  would  respond  to  the  call  of  the  President.  The 
same  night,  about  midnight,  he  was  answered  that  his  regi 
ment  would  be  accepted,  and  he  was  requested  to  report  the 
number  of  men  ready  to  take  the  field.  A  response  to  this 
message  demanded  some  inquiry,  and  the  next  morning 
Colonel  Birney  set  about  making  it.  By  eleven  o'clock 
(Tuesday)  he  ascertained  that  his  course  was  approved  by 
very  few  officers  except  the  colonel.  They  thought  he  had 
been  precipitate  and  wanted  some  time  to  reflect. 

This  demand  for  time  did  not  suit  either  Colonel  Charles 
P.  Dare  or  Lieutenant-colonel  Birney.  They  were  anxious 
to  be  off,  and  wanted  no  "straggling."  They  came  to 
Birney's  office,  and  after  a  consultation  determined  to  raise 
a  regiment,  and  went  to  work  without  delay.  A  selection  of 
officers  wa°  made  from  among  their  acquaintances,  and  with 
(16) 


OPENING    OF    THE    REBELLION.  17 

the  aid  of  these  gentlemen  recruiting  offices  were  opened  in 
different  parts  of  the  city  before  two  o'clock  of  that  day.  On 
Thursday  (April  18th)  the  regiment  was  full.  One  thousand 
determined  and  resolute  men  had  been  gathered  together, 
who  were  willing  to  leave  home  for  three  months  to  aid  in 
crushing  secession  and  bringing  back  the  rebellious  States  to 
an  allegiance  to  the  Union.  The  greatest  enthusiasm  existed, 
and  the  first  regiment  ready  to  start  was  able  to  get  the  most 
men.  Out  of  one  fire-company  in  Philadelphia,  consisting 
of  seventy-five  members,  sixty  enlisted  in  a  body,  and  those 
men  were  the  flower  of  the  regiment. 

After  the  men  were  assembled  and  ready  to  go,  the  great 
question  was,  what  to  do  with  them.  Neither  the  General 
Government  nor  the  State  could  furnish  them  with  arms, 
clothing  or  equipments,  nor  was  there  any  officer  at  hand  to 
muster  them  into  the  service  of  the  United  States.  To  send 
them  home  with  orders  to  report  when  wanted,  would  have 
dampened  the  ardor  of  the  men.  What  to  do  with  them 
was  a  problem  which  Lieutenant-colonel  Birncy  solved  by 
procuring  from  Major-general  Patterson,  then  in  command 
of  the  Philadelphia  Division  of  the  Pennsylvania  militia,  the 
use  of  the  State  Arsenal  in  the  city,  where  the  men  were 
quartered  and  fed  at  private  expense,  of  which  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Birney  bore  a  considerable  share,  until  they  could  be 
sent  away. 


FiEST    CAMPAIGN. 

N  Sunday  afternoon,  the  officers  were  able  to 
get  arms,  and  during  the  night,  uniforms, 
and  on  Monday,  (April  22d,)  four  compa 
nies,  under  command  of  Lieutenant-colonel 
Birney,  left  Philadelphia  as  a  portion  of 
the  Twenty-third  regiment  of  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  and  went  to  Perryville  on  the 
Philadelphia,  Wilmington  and  Baltimore  Railroad,  on  the 
north  bank  of  the  Susquehanna,  to  guard  the  railroad.  In  a 
few  days  the  remainder  of  the  regiment,  under  Colonel  Dare, 
went  down  on  the  same  mission,  and  the  duty  of  guarding 
the  road  and  protecting  the  workmen  in  the  repairs  of  the 
damage  which  had  been  done  by  Trimble  and  his  asso 
ciates,  was  performed  by  the  officers  and  men  with  alacrity. 
The  Twenty-third  Pennsylvania  was  thus  "the  first  from 
Philadelphia  in  the  field."  [Philadelphia  Inquirer,  April  26, 
18GL] 

For  some  time  the  regiment  was  divided:  Colonel  Dare, 
with  half  the  companies,  was  north  of  the  Susquehanna  river, 
and  Lieutenant-colonel  Birney,  with  the  remainder,  was  south. 
During  this  period  of  inaction  Colonel  Birney  made  efforts 
to  apprehend  Trimble,  the  famous  bridge  burner.  At  one 
time  he  thought  he  was  successful,  and  so  informed  his 
friends  in  Philadelphia,  but  his  efforts  were  unavailing. 
Trimble  escaped  the  rope  and  bough,  which  certainly  would 
have  been  his  fate  had  he  fallen  into  Birncy's  hands. 
(18) 


FIRST    CAMPAIGN.  ig 

During  the  early  part  of  this  railroad  protection  Birney's 
men  were  poorly  clad.  The  uniforms  furnished  them  were 
of  the  poorest  description,  and  their  under-clothing  was  only 
such  as  they  had  on  their  persons  when  they  laid  aside 
their  citizens'  clothes  for  those  of  soldiers.  Before  they  had 
been  away  from  home  a  month  they  were  well  provided  by 
the  voluntary  contributions  of  citizens,  and  especially  by  the 
efforts  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Boardman's  congregation  of  Phila 
delphia.  In  the  meantime  Birney  required  his  men  to 
observe  the  greatest  particularity  in  their  habits  of  personal 
cleanliness.  Every  day  a  portion  of  the  men  were  required 
to  wash  their  underclothing  in  the  river.  Not  having  a 
change  at  hand,  their  personal  appearance,  while  the  daily 
ablution  was  being  performed,  shocked  the  propriety  of 
some  of  the  citizens  of  Havre  de  Grace.  These  gentlemen 
waited  upon  Lieutenant-colonel  Birney,  and  remonstrated 
with  him  because  of  the  exhibitions  which  his  men  made 
daily.  He  answered  by  regretting  the  necessity  for  shock 
ing  the  nerves  of  the  people  of  the  town,  but  insisted  that 
the  health  and  comfort  of  his  men  was  an  object  of  para 
mount  importance.  He  offered,  however,  to  compromise  the 
matter,  by  sparing  the  feelings  of  the  citizens  if  they  would 
furnish  the  companies  with  a  change  of  linen,  and  in  that 
event  promised  that  the  men  should  keep  on  a  shirt 
while  they  washed  the  soiled  one  in  the  river.  This 
proposition  was  not  accepted,  and  until  the  citizens  of 
Philadelphia  provided  for  the  comfort  of  the  Twenty-third 
regiment,  the  citizens  of  Havre  de  Grace  were  under  the 
necessity  of  enduring  the  grievance. 


SECOKD   CAMPAIGK 


FTER  the  road  from  Philadelphia  to  Baltimore 
was  fully  repaired,  and  communica 
tion  with  the  North  and  Washington 
restored,  the  Twenty-third  regiment 
became  uneasy  in  their  position.  The 
officers  and  men  wanted  to  see  more 
active  service.  The  field  officers  ap 
plied  to  Hon.  Simon  Cameron,  then 

Secretary  of  War,  for  a  different  position.  The  applica 
tion  met  with  a  favorable  response,  and  on  the  22d  day 
of  May,  1861,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  join  General 
Patterson,  who  was  then  in  the  Cumberland  Valley.  The 
order  was  cheerfully  obeyed,  and  the  men  embarked  from 
Havre  de  Grace  for  Baltimore.  Frank  Birney,  a  lad  of 
fourteen  years,  had  been  for  several  weeks  with  his  father, 
Lieutenant-colonel  Birney,  and  had  become  a  favorite  with 
the  men.  To  him  was  accorded  the  privilege  of  carrying 
one  of  the  regimental  colors  through  the  Monumental  City, 
which  at  that  time  was  something  of  a  triumph  for  the  boy 
and  the  old  flag,  which  was  not  then  beloved  by  many  of 
the  people  of  Baltimore. 

The    regiment   went    direct    to    Chambersburg,   where    it 
was   placed   in   the   brigade   of  General  Thomas — the    same 
officer  who,  in  December,  1864,  gladdened  the  hearts  of  all 
(20) 


SECOND    CAMPAIGN.  21 

his  loyal  countrymen  by  the  signal  victory  over  the  army 
of  the  rebel  General  Hood  near  Nashville,  Tennessee.  On 
June  14th  the  brigade,  consisting  of  four  companies  of 
regular  cavalry,  the  First  Troop  of  Philadelphia  City 
cavalry,  two  companies  of  regular  infantry,  under  Captain 
(since  Major-general)  Doubleday,  the  Sixth  Pennsylvania, 
Colonel  Naglcc,  the  Twenty-first,  Colonel  Ballicr,  and  the 
Twenty-third,  Colonel  Dare,  moved  from  Chambersburg 
towards  Williamsport,  Maryland, — the  Twenty-third  having 
the  right  of  the  line. 

During  this  campaign,  which  lasted  until  the  term  for 
which  the  men  had  enlisted  expired,  little  transpired  to 
vary  the  monotony  of  camp  life.  Owing  to  Colonel  Dare's 
infirm  health,  the  command  of  the  regiment  the  greater 
part  of  the  time  devolved  upon  Lieutenant-colonel  Birney. 
On  the  2d  day  of  July,  1861,  General  Patterson  crossed 
the  Potomac  and  sent  forward  a  detachment,  consisting  of 
the  Twenty-third  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  under  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Birney,  the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania,  the  First  AVis- 
consin  and  the  Philadelphia  City  Troop,  to  engage  a  portion 
of  General  Johnston's  command,  near  Hainesville,  under 
General  Stonewall  Jackson.  The  engagement  (for  such  it 
was  called  at  the  time)  took  place  near  Falling  Waters. 
The  rebels  fell  back,  our  loss  being  three  killed  and  ten 
wounded.  In  this  action  Lieutenant-colonel  Birney  dis 
played,  for  the  first  time,  that  coolness  and  intrepidity 
which  always  endears  an  officer  to  his  men.  Though  the 
encounter,  in  comparison  with  subsequent  actions,  did  not 
deserve  the  name  of  a  skirmish,  it  was  the  first  occasion  in 
which  the  men  engaged  in  it  had  ever  been  under  fire,  and 


22  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

they  at  once  chose  as  their  leaders  the  officers  who  dis 
played  those  qualities  which  to  the  private  soldier  are  so 
captivating. 

The  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Tribune,  writing 
from  Falling  Waters  under  date  of  July  2d,  (published  July 
8th,)  says:  "The  Wisconsin  regiment  was  supporting  the 
battery  on  the  left  of  the  road  -and  the  Eleventh  Pennsyl 
vania  on  the  right.  These  immediately  came  up  into  posi 
tion  and  poured  in  one  volley  before  the  enemy  had  time 
to  form.  Just  in  the  middle  of  the  fight  the  Twenty-third 
Pennsylvania  came  up  as  cool  as  cucumbers  and  pitched 
into  the  chase,  flanking  out  a  considerable  distance  to  the 
left  and  routing  the  rebels  from  all  their  places  of  con 
cealment.  Every  man  was  cool  and  deliberate  and  their 
shots  .told  with  fearful  effect."  The  regiment  was  the  first 
to  enter  Winchester  on  the  next  day,  and  the  men  cele 
brated  their  4th  of  July,  1861,  in  the  town  which  has 
since  been  the  centre  of  so  many  important  movements. 

After  the  occupation  of  Winchester,  by  order  of  Lieuten 
ant-general  Scott,  some  of  General  Patterson's  best  troops 
were  taken  from  him,  and  his  column  subsequently  retired  to 
the  Potomac.  As  is  well  known,  he  did  not  attack  the 
forces  of  General  Johnston,  who  subsequently  joined  Beaure- 
gard  two  days  before  the  battle  of  Bull  Run.  Thus  General 
Patterson  and  his  men,  much  to  their  regret,  were  prevented 
from  engaging  in  any  active  operations  during  their  campaign 
in  the  Shcnandoah  valley.  For  this  the  general  and  his 
officers  have  been  abused  and  censured  in  private  and  public 
circles,  by  civilians  and  by  military  men,  by  the  press  in 
America  and  Europe,  by  writers  of  pamphlets  and  of  history, 


SECOND   CAMPAIGN.  23 

and  even  by  Lieutenant-general  Scott  himself  in  his  auto 
biography,  lately  published.  Not  only  have  the  General  and 
his  officers  been  pronounced  incompetent,  but  have  been 
accused  of  a  want  of  good  faith  for  that  government  they  had 
sworn  to  support.  They  bore  all  this  in  silence  so  long  as 
they  considered  that  the  interests  of  the  cause  required  that 
they  should  not  disclose  the  orders  under  which  they  acted. 
These  have  lately  been  made  public  in  a  pamphlet  wrhich 
General  Patterson  has  written.  To  any  candid  mind  it  is 
the  most  complete  and  unanswerable  justification  which  could 
be  made,  and  will  furnish  to  the  future  historian  of  the 
great  American  rebellion  facts  from  which  he  can  photo 
graph  the  scenes  of  the  "three  months'  campaign,"  and  do 
justice  to  all  who^  participated  in  its  management. 


A  KEW  KEGIMEISTT. 

[HE  term  of  service  of  the  regiment  expired 
July  23,  1861,  but  before  that  time  it 
was  evident  to  the  most  casual  observer 
that  the  rebellion  was  not  a  holiday  ex 
cursion.  The  Government  had  called 
for  men  to  enlist  for  three  years,  and 
the  question  of  re-enlistment  was  discussed  over  the  camp- 
fires.  Colonel  Dare  could  make  no  engagements  for  the 
future.  He  was  then  in  a  decline,  and,  soon  after  his 
return  home,  consumption  did  its  work  and  buried  him 
in  an  early  grave.  Lieutenant-colonel  Birney  had  every 
inducement  to  return  home  after  the  termination  of  his 
first  campaign.  His  private  interests  were  suffering  from 
neglect,  his  business  needed  his  attention,  and  his  family 
urged  him  to  return  to  the  comforts  of  home.  But  none 
of  these  temptations  could  deter  him  from  remaining  in 
the  service.  Many  of  the  men  of  his  regiment  offered  to 
re-enlist  if  he  would  take  command.  This  he  soon  pro 
mised  to  do,  and  made  an  effort  to  get  the  Secretary  of 
AVar  to  permit  their  re-enlistment  in- Maryland,  thus  saving 
the  Government  the  expense  of  their  transportation  both 
ways.  This,  however,  was  not  allowed.  As  soon  as  it  was 
known  that  the  regiment  must  return  home,  he  wrote  to 
his  partner  in  Philadelphia,  stating  his  intention  of  remain- 

(24) 


A    NEW    REGIMENT.  25 

ing  in  the  service,  and  requesting  him  at  once  to  make 
arrangements  for  recruiting  a  new  regiment.  This  was 
done  without  delay.  The  Girard  House,  which  for  years 
had  been  the  leading  hotel  in  Philadelphia,  but  which  was 
at  that  time  closed,  was  taken  for  the  purposes  of  recruit 
ing,  and  it  is  doubtful  whether  a  larger  or  more  expensive 
recruiting  office  was  ever  opened  in  the  country.  The 
citizens  of  Philadelphia  laughed  when  they  saw  their  largest 
hotel  used  for  such  a  purpose,  but  the  result  soon  justified 
the  means. 

The  new  regiment  met  with  great  success,  and  in  a  week 
four  companies  were  mustered  in  and  sent  to  camp.  The 
old  Twenty-third  returned  to  Philadelphia,  August  17,  1861, 
and  were  escorted  to  the  Arsenal,  their  old  quarters,  by 
their  new  comrades.  The  next  day  the  men  were  mus 
tered  out.  Colonel  Birney  went  at  once  to  work  to 
organize  the  new  regiment,  and  obtained  permission  from 
Governor  Curtin  to  retain  the  old  designation.  In  two 
more  days  about  three  hundred  men  of  the  old  regiment 
re-enlisted  for  three  years  and  were  formed  into  three  com 
panies.  These,  with  the  four  new  companies,  were  encamped 
at  the  junction  of  Nicetown  Lane  and  Lamb  Tavern  Road, 
in  Philadelphia,  and  Colonel  Birney  went  to  work  to  lay 
out  his  camp  for  at  least  a  month's  residence,  having  re 
ceived  authority  to  raise  a  regiment  of  fifteen  companies. 
On  August  20th,  an  order  was  issued  by  the  Secretary  of 
War  for  all  the  companies  mustered  in,  to  report  imme 
diately  at  Washington.  Birney  went  down  the  next  day 
with  his  seven  hundred  men,  and  was  in  Washington  the 
evening  of  the  21st. 


26  DAVID    BELL    BIRNET. 

The  following  notice  of  their  march  through  Baltimore  is 
from  the  Baltimore  American  of  August  22,  1861 : 

"  The  Twenty-third  regiment  of  Pennsylvania  volunteers, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  David  B.  Birncy,  numbering 
about  seven  hundred  men,  passed  through  Baltimore  en  route 
for  Washington.  A  large  proportion  of  the  men  were  under 
Colonel  Dare,  in  the  same  regiment,  which  has  already  served 
three  months  under  General  Patterson.  They  are  uniformed 
similar  to  regulars.  Several  of  the  companies  are  well  drilled 
in  the  Zouave  exercise,  and  also  uniformed." 

After  the  departure  of  the  seven  companies,  recruiting  was 
continued  in  Philadelphia  with  such  success  that  before  the 
10th  of  September,  1861,  there  were  fifteen  hundred  men  in 
camp  near  Washington,  completely  organized.  It  composed 
part  of  General  (Pike)  Graham's  brigade,  which  was  in  the 
division  commanded  by  General  Buell,  as  the  army  was  organ 
ized  in  October,  1861,  before  it  was  divided  into  corps. 

During  the  time  the  regiment  was  under  instruction,  and 
while  General  McClellan  was  organizing  the  army  of  the 
Potomac,  the  officers  were  greatly  commended  for  their 
efficiency,  and  their  camp  was  a  favorite  place  of  resort 
for  visitors  and  general  officers.  The  drills  were  without 
cessation,  and  every  attention  was  paid  to  those  duties 
which  alone  can  make  good  soldiers  out  of  volunteers. 


PEOMOTIOR 

TIRING  the  winter,  Colonel  Birney 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  Gene 
ral  Cameron,  then  Secretary  of  War, 
whose  attention  had  been  attracted  by  the 
fine  appearance  and  superior  condition  of 
the  regiment.  Many  of  Birney's  friends, 
at  first  without  his  knowledge,  urged  upon  the  Secretary 
his  claims  for  promotion.  The  effort  was  successful,  and 
the  letter  of  appointment  was  issued  February  17,  1862. 
His  name  was  sent  to  the  Senate  the  same  week,  and 
the  appointment  confirmed  without  hesitation. 

On  the  day  he  received  his  appointment  General  Stone 
had  been  relieved  from  the  command  of  the  forces  near 
Ball's  Bluff,  and  General  John  Sedgwick  ordered  to  take  his 
place.  The  new  general  applied  for  the  command  of  Gene 
ral  Sedgwick,  and  it  was  given  him.  The  brigade,  consisting 
of  the  Third  Maine,  (Col.  IT.  G.  Berry,  afterwards  Major- 
general,  and  killed  at  Chancellorsville,)  the  Fourth  Maine, 
(Col.  Staples,)  the  Thirty-eighth  New  York,  (Col.  J.  II. 
Ward,  since  Brigadier-general,)  and  the  Fortieth  New  York 
(Mozart,  Col.  Riley)  regiments,  was  encamped  near  Alex 
andria,  and  General  Birney  went  to  his  new  command  the 
same  day  without  returning  to  his  regiment. 


(27) 


A  CABAL. 


OR  some  time  there  had  been  jealousies 
existing  in  the  Twenty-third,  and  a 
cabal  was  formed  in  opposition  to  the 
Colonel  among  some  of  the  officers, 
resulting  from  some  discipline  to  which 
they  had  been  subjected.  Birney 
scarcely  knew  of  its  existence.  After 
his  promotion,  Captain  Thomas  IT.  Neill,  of  the  regular 
army,  (now  General  Neill,)  was  made  colonel.  This  gave 
rise  to  some  additional  dissatisfaction,  because  the  officers 
thought  the  Colonel  should  have  been  chosen  from  their 
own  number.  As  Colonel  Neill  had  been  a  friend  of 
Birney  for  several  years,  it  was  alleged  by  the  grumblers 
that  the  selection  was  at  the  instance  of  Birney.  Shortly 
after  Colonel  Neill  assumed  command  an  order  was  issued, 
by  which  five  of  the  companies  were  detached  from  the 
regiment  and  put  into  another.  This  was  not  a  peculiar 
instance,  for  all  the  large  regiments  then  existing  were 
di  vided  in  a  similar  manner,  but  this  fact  was  also  used 
by  the  malcontents  to  prejudice  the  men  against  Birney, 
by  the  allegation  that  the  division  had  been  made  in 
pursuance  of  a  bargain  by  which  Colonel  Birney  had 
been  made  a  Brigadier.  In  addition  to  these  charges,  he 
was  accused  of  caring  little  for  the  men,  and  as  proof  cf 
(28) 


A    CABAL.  29 

the  fact,  it  was  said  that  Birney  had  not  taken  leave  of 
his  regiment  with  due  formality.  These  arguments  had 
for  a  time  weight  with  the  men,  and  on  one  occasion, 
when  General  Birney  returned  to  visit  nis  regiment,  he 
was  rudely  treated. 

It  is  not  proposed  to  discuss  these  charges  further  than 
to  deny  them  all.  To  any  one  acquainted  with  the  mode 
of  doing  business  with  the  War  Department,  they  are 
simply  ridiculous.  It  is  true,  perhaps,  that  he  did  not 
observe  the  usual  formalities  in  taking  leave  of  his  regiment, 
but  he  was  anxious  to  assume  the  active  duties  of  his  new 
command,  and  besides  this,  it  was  one  of  his  characteristics 
to  avoid  scenes  of  any  kind.  He  never  did  any  thing  for 
effect.  His  previous  and  subsequent  career  shows  that  he 
was  not  wanting  in  affection  for  his  men.  No  officer  in 
the  army  had  warmer  or  more  sincere  friends  among  his 
subordinates. 

This  little  incident  has  been  referred  to  because  it  is 
the  only  .  instance  in  which  General  Birney  was  ever 
charged  with  want  of  heart,  or  sacrificing  the  interests  or 
feelings  of  others  to  promote  his  own.  It'  was  magnified 
into  some  importance,  but  soon  dwindled  away,  for  very 
soon  the  men  discovered  the  motives  which  prompted  it, 
and  the  only  result  which  followed  was  contempt  for  those 
officers  who  had  manufactured  the  charges. 


A  BBIGADIER 

ENERAL  BIRNEY,  when  he  assumed  his 
new  command,  was  an  entire  stranger 
to  every  officer  and  man  in  it;  but  he 
soon  won  their  confidence  and  esteem. 
He  retained  the  command  until  Septem 
ber  1,  1862,  when  he  took  command  of 
the  division  of  which  his  brigade  was  a  part,  and  this 
command  he  retained  until  July,  1864,  when  he  was 
assigned  by  Lieutenant-general  Grant  to  the  command  of 
the  Tenth  Army  Corps;  so  that  the  regiments  turned  over 
to  him  by  General  Sedgwick  were  under  his  command 
while  they  continued  in  the  service,  under  their  three  years' 
enlistment,  and  men  and  officers  could  not  have  more  love 
for  a  general  than  these  had  for  Birney. 

When  he  took  command  of  the  brigade  it  was  part  of 
a  division  commanded  by  Brigadier-general  (now  Major- 
general)  Heintzelman.  On  March  18,  1862,  Brigadier-gene 
ral  C.  S.  Hamilton  assumed  command,  General  Heintzelman 
having  been  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Third  Corps 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  of  which  the  division  was  a 
part.  General  Hamilton  retained  command  until  May  3, 
1862,  when  Brigadier-general  Philip  Kearny,  at  Camp 
Winficld  Scott,  near  Yorktown,  assumed  command,  by 
virtue  of  orders  received  from  headquarters  of  the  Army 
(30) 


A   BRIGADIER.  31 

of  the  Potomac,  which  command  he  retained  until  his  death, 
September  1,  1862. 

This  division  was  then  the  third  of  the  Third  Corps, 
which  continued  under  the  command  of  General  Heintzel- 
man  during  the  campaign  on  the  Peninsula,  and  was  com 
posed  of  three  brigades,  commanded  by  Brigadier-generals 
Jameson,  Birney  and  Berry,  who  are  all  dead. 

The  division  continued  to  retain  its  number  in  the  corps 
until  August  5,  1862,  when  it  was  changed  to  the  first. 
This  designation  it  retained  until  April,  1864,  when  the 
old  Third  Corps,  with  its  glorious  record  and  warm  asso 
ciations,  was  broken  up  and  its  divisions  put  into  other 
corps.  The  old  first  division  having  had  the  reduced  num 
bers  of  the  second  division  of  the  Third  Corps  (formerly 
commanded  by  General  Joe  Hooker)  joined  to  it  in  May, 
1864,  then  became  the  third  of  the  Second  Corps,  which 
designation  it  still  retains,  (May,  1865.) 

A  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Herald,  writing  from 
Richmond  under  date  of  May  6,  1865,  (published  May  10, 
1865,)  describing  the  march  of  the  army  through  Rich 
mond,  refers  to  this  division  in  the  following  language : — 

"As  the  columns  passed  by,  no  one  element  was  more 
noticeable  than  that  of  decimation.  For  instance,  the  old 
and  honored  Third  Army  Corps  (now  merged)  appeared 
reduced  to  a  single  and  small  division,  wearing  its  own 
'  square  patch'  as  an  insignium  rather  than  the  trefoil  of  its 
later  affections.  These  goodly  men,  who,  under  their  old  and 
original  organization,  had  been  gallantly  and  nobly  led  by 
Heintzelman,  sainted  Dick  Richardson,  universally  accepted 
Joe  Hooker,  generous  and  impetuous  Sickles,  lamented  and 


32  DAVID    BELL    B1RNEY. 

able  Birney,  and  the  ever-reliant  French,  still  bore  earnest 
traces  of  their  veterancy,  and  received  plaudits  to  the  echo 
whenever  and  wherever  recognized.  Though  now  forming 
part  of  the  Second  Corps,  yet,  not  in  the  least  derogating 
from  the  lustrous  and  never-fading  glories  of  that  organiza 
tion,  they  still  justly  remember  what  has  been  accorded 
them  for  heroism  at  Gettysburg,  and  their  saving  grace  at 
Chancellorsvillc,  where  they  earned  the  honors  of  the  day 
because  they  indisputably  preserved  it  to  our  arms." 


KEARISTT. 


was  thus  under  the  immediate 
command  of  the  gallant  Kcarny  during 
the  Peninsular  and  Pope's  campaigns, 
and  may  be  said  to  have  received  his 
military  education  from  this  accom 
plished  officer.  These  two  men, 
though  unlike  in  many  points  of  cha 
racter,  soon  became  warm  friends,  and  no  event  in  his  mili 
tary  life  so  affected  Birney  as  the  receipt  of  Kearny's  mangled 
remains,  from  within  the  enemy's  lines  after  the  battle  of 
Chantilly,  on  September  1,  1862.  Through  all  the  successes 
and  trials  of  the  Peninsular  campaign,  these  men  were  side  by 
side  and  did  their  entire  duty  to  their  men  and  their  coun 
try.  No  unkind  criticism  of  Kearny  ever  passed  Birney's 
lips.  He  believed  his  old  commander  to  be  the  embodi 
ment  of  all  that  was  gallant  as  an  officer,  brave  as  a  soldier, 
and  courteous  as  a  gentleman;  and  in  sharing  his  fortunes, 
identified  himself,  perhaps  too  much,  with  the  unfortunate 
jealousies  which,  in  1862,  existed  in  the  Army  of  the  Po 
tomac  between  regular  and  volunteer  officers.  The  latter 
believed  that  their  education  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet 
qualified  them  for  service  quite  as  much  as  if  they  had  been 
educated  at  West  Point.  These  feelings,  however,  were  soon 
worn  down  by  time,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  no  corps 
commander  in  the  army  was  more  beloved  and  respected 

(33) 


34  DAVID    BELL    BIRNET. 

than  Birney,  by  both  regular  and  volunteer  officers.  No 
man  could  be  spoken  more  kindly  of  than  the  writer  has 
often  heard  Birney  mentioned  by  officers,  from  the  com 
mander  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  the  second  lieutenant, 
and  by  soldiers  who  wear  the  "  red  patch,"  (the  red  diamond, 
the  badge  of  Birney's  division,)  or  the  bastion  fort,  (the  badge 
of  the  Tenth  Army  Corps.)  It  is  true,  that  this  feeling  of 
jealousy  between  officers  righting  in  the  same  cause,  in  the 
same  army,  and  under  the  same  flag,  was  eradicated  by  the 
wholesome  findings  of  several  courts-martial  and  the  severe 
but  just  orders  of  the  War  Department,  but  it  was  necessary 
for  the  good  of  our  cause  that  the  knife  should  be  used. 
After  its  skillful  application  dissension  ceased.  Willing  and 
earnest  obedience  to  commands  was  observed  by  zealous  and 
true-hearted  officers,  and  the  commanders  of  our  armies  have 
thus  been  enabled  to  penetrate  every  part  of  Rebeldom. 

Those  who  write  the  history  of  the  rebellion  will  always 
differ  about  the  conduct  of  many  of  the  general  officers 
who  had  commands  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  when  it 
was  first  organized,  but  the  verdict  which,  in  1862,  the  pub 
lic  of  the  United  States  rendered,  will  never  be  altered.  It 
is  possible  that  some  future  Congress  may  remove  the  disa 
bility  under  which  some  officers  have  been  placed  by  the 
sentences  of  the  courts-martial,  but  the  present  generation 
will  never  censure  the  finding  by  which  they  have  been 
returned  to  private  life. 


REVIEWS  AKD  DEILLS. 

URING  the  foil  of  1861,  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  which  since  that  time, 
through  summer's  heat  and  winter's 
snow,  has  written  for  itself  so  glorious  a 
record,  was  assembled  around  the  city  of 
Washington.  Its  organization  was  said  to 
have  been  complete  early  in  the  fall,  and  during  the 
golden  days  of  October  and  November,  the  country  looked 
anxiously  for  a  forward  movement.  The  rebel  rag  floated 
from  the  top  of  Manassas  hill,  within  sight  of  the  dome 
of  the  Capitol,  and  the  mounted  guns  on  the  enemy's  for 
tifications  were  a  daily  challenge  to  the  Union  army.  But 
the  challenge  was  not  accepted.  Our  leader  was  determined 
"  not  to  move  until  he  was  ready."  To  prevent  the  army 
from  rusting  it  was  occasionally  exercised  in  a  "  grand 
review,"  which  was  beheld  with  admiration  by  newspaper 
correspondents  and  little  boys,  and  after  one  grand  review 
was  over  and  the  country  was  astonished  by  the  description, 
in  scientific  words,  of  the  wonderful  performances,  the  army 
was  indulged — in  another  "grand  review." 

Then  autumn  passed  away  and  our  troops  and  their  friends 
at  home  were  nauseated  with  grand  words  and  grand  display. 
The  brave  and  earnest  men  who  had  assembled  at  the  call 
of  the  President  were  disappointed  because  they  were  not  led 

(35) 


36  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

forward  to  meet  the  enemy.  They  believed,  and  so  did  the 
country  at  large,  that  they  were  quite  as  well  prepared  as 
the  rebels,  and  the  inactivity  imposed  upon  them  by  their 
commander  was  galling  and  humiliating. 

Such  was  the  state  of  public  opinion  and  the  feeling  in 
the  army,  when  Congress  assembled  on  the  first  Monday  in 
December,  1861,  and  the  opinion  of  the  people  was  soon 
made  known  through  their  representatives.  It  was  soon 
made  evident  that  this  opinion  was  shared  by  our  noble 
President  and  his  cabinet.  But  then  it  was  too  late:  the 
quantity  and  quality  of  Virginia  mud  prevented  any  move 
ment  during  the  winter  months.  The  time  came,  however, 
when  campaigning  was  possible;  but  it  is  yet  a  question  in 
the  minds  of  many  people,  whether  the  army  would  have 
been  "ready"  to  move  until  this  day,  (1865,)  had  not  the 
President,  by  General  War  Order,  No.  1,  ordered  "  that 
the  22d  day  of  February,  1862,  be  the  day  for  a  general 
movement  of  the  land  and  naval  forces  of  the  United  States 
against  the  insurgent  forces,"  &c.,  &c. 

Even  this  order  was  no  spur  to  habitual  tardiness.  The 
order  produced  only  a  long  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
from  the  then  Commander  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  it  was  not  until  the  night  of  the  9th  of  March,  that  an 
advance  was  ordered  upon  Centreville  and  Manassas.  This 
advance  demonstrated  that  our  army  for  several  months  had 
been  kept  at  bay  by  "  quaker  guns,"  i.  e.  stove-pipes  and  logs 
(not  even  painted)  so  arranged  as  to  impress  upon  the  timid 
mind  the  belief  that  they  were  real  "dogs  of  war."  Of  course 
upon  this  advance  the  enemy  retired,  leaving  "  burning  heaps 
of  military  stores  and  much  valuable  property." 


PENINSIILAE  CAMPAIGN. 

NTIL  the  17th  of  March,  the 
commander  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  was  content  with  the 
victory  at  Centrevillc  and  Manassas.  On 
the  13th  a  council  of  war  "adopted  Fort 
Monroe  as  the  base  of  operations  for  the 
movement  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  upon  Richmond." 
It  was  then  thought  that  "the  line"  on  which,  in  1864, 
General  Grant  "proposed  to  fight  all  summer,"  was  not 
the  proper  route  for  a  movement  on  the  rebel  Capital. 
That  route,  however,  has  proved  to  be  the  true  one,  and 
the  evacuation  of  Richmond  on  April  1,  1865,  has  proved 
that,  whatever  military  critics  may  say  to  the  contrary,  the 
direct  line  from  Washington  to  Richmond — the  route  which 
lightning  follows  from  object  to  object — was  the  true  one. 
This,  however,  was  not  the  opinion  of  the  "  four  corps  com 
manders"  mentioned  in  General  McClcllan's  Report,  in  part 
first  of  the  second  period.  They  thought  it  best  to  take  to 
water,  and  on  the  17th  General  Hamilton  embarked  from 
Alexandria  with  his  division  of  the  Third  Corps.  Of  this 
division  General  Birney's  brigade  was  a  part,  and  he  and  his 
men  were  thus  part  of  the  advance  of  the  Army  of  the  Po 
tomac  to  the  Peninsula.  This  circumstance  was  of  course 
accidental.  When,  however,  his  talent  for  command  was 
appreciated,  he  continued  in  the  advance,  and  with  the  men 
of  his  command  occupied  this  much  sought  for  position  until 

(3!) 


38  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

October,  1864,  when  he  left  his  command  and  came  home 
to  die. 

The  army  was  moved  from  Fort  Monroe  on  the  4th  and 
5th  of  April,  and  on  the  10th  "the  siege  of  Yorktown  was 
begun."  On  the  day  previous  the  commandcr-in-chief  had 
received  a  letter  from  the  President,  in  which  these  words 
occur :  "  I  think  it  is  the  precise  time  to  strike  a  blow.  By 
delay  the  enemy  will  relatively  gain  upon  you.  *  *  *  * 
Once  more  let  me  tell  you  it  is  indispensable  to  you  that  you 
strike  a  blow.  I  am  powerless  to  help  this.  You  will  do 
me  the  justice  to  remember  I  always  insisted  that  going 
down  the  bay  in  search  of  the  field,  instead  of  fighting  at 
or  near  Manassas,  was  only  shifting  and  not  surmounting  a 
difficulty;  that  we  would  find  the  same  enemy  and  the  same 
or  equal  entrenchments  at  either  place.  The  country  will 
not  fail  to  note — is  now  noting — that  the  present  hesitation 
to  move  upon  an  entrenched  enemy,  is  the  story  of  Manassas 
repeated.  ******  you  must  act." 

Even  this  spur  did  not  hasten  the  siege,  and  more  than 
three  weeks  were  expended  in  preparation.  "  Our  batteries 
would  have  been  ready  to  open  on  the  morning  of  May  6th 
at  latest,  but  on  the  morning  of  the  4th  it  was  discovered 
that  the  enemy  had  already  been  compelled  to  evacuate  his 
position  during  the  night,  leaving  behind  him  all  his  heavy 
guns  uninjured  and  a  large  amount  of  ammunition  and  sup 
plies."  In  these  operations  Birney's  brigade  took  little  part 
except  to  do  their  share  of  digging.  They,  in  common  with 
the  rest  of  the  army,  eagerly  expected  an  action,  and  it  was 
not  until  the  5th  of  May,  at  the  battle  of  Williamsburg, 
that  they  were  really  under  fire. 


WILLIAMSBUEG. 


JN  this  action  "  the  division  of  General  Kcarny 
arrived  at  nine,  A.  M.,  to  reinforce  Hooker, 
who  had  succeeded  by  the  greatest  exertion 
in  passing  Casey's  troops  and  pushing  on 
to  the  front  through  the  deep  mud.  Gen 
eral  Kearny  at  once  gallantly  attacked  and  thereby  pre 
vented  the  loss  of  another  battery,  and  drove  the  enemy 
back  at  every  point,  enabling  General  Hooker  to  extricate 
himself  from  his  position  and  withdraw  his  wearied  troops." 
(McClellan's  Report.) 

Of  this  division  General  Birney's  brigade  was  a  part,  Gen 
eral  Kcarny  having,  on  the  3d  of  May,  been  placed  in  com 
mand.  In  his  report  of  the  battle  he  says :  "  Approaching 
near  the  field  word  was  brought  by  an  aide-de-camp,  that 
Hooker's  cartridges  were  expended,  and  with  increased 
rapidity  we  entered  under  fire.  Having  quickly  consulted 
with  General  Hooker,  I  at  once  deployed  Berry's  brigade 
to  the  left  of  the  Williamsburg  road  and  Birney's  on  the 
right  Of  it.  ******  The  heavy  strewn  timber 
defied  all  direct  approach.  I  therefore  ordered  Colonel  J. 
Hobart  Ward  of  the  Thirty-eighth  New  York  volunteers, 
(one  of  Birney's  regiments,)  to  charge  down  the  road  and 
take  the  rifle  pits  on  the  centre  of  the  abattis  by  their  flank. 
This  duty  Colonel  Ward  performed  with  gallantry,  his  mar 
tial  demeanor  imparting  all  confidence  in  the  attack.  Still 

(39) 


40  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

the  move,  though  nearly  successful,  did  not  quite  prevail;  but 
with  bravery  every  point  thus  gained  was  perfectly  sustained. 
The  left  wing  of  Colonel  Riley's  regiment,  the  Fortieth  (Mo 
zart)  New  York  volunteers,  (also  a  part  of  Birney's  brigade,) 
was  next  sent  for,  and  came  up  brilliantly,  conducted  by  Cap 
tain  Mindil,  chief  of  General  Birney's  staff.  These  charged 
up  to  the  open  space  and  silenced  some  light  artillery,  and 
gaining  the  enemy's  rear,  caused  him  to  relinquish  his  cover. 

The  victory  was  ours." 

#  *  *  *  *  *  * 

"I  have  to  mark  out  for  the  high  commendation  of  the 
General-in-chief,  Generals  Jameson,  Birney  and  Berry,  whose 
soldierly  judgment  was  alone  equalled  by  their  distinguished 
courage." 

General  Keamy,  not  content  with  the  opportunity  to  speak 
of  Birney  in  his  official  report,  as  above  quoted,  wrote  the 
following  letter  to  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania : — 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION,  HEINTZELMAN'S 
CORPS,  CAMP  BERRY,  May  10,  18G2. 

To  HIS  EXCELLENCY  Gov.  A.  G.  CURTIN, 

Of  Pennsylvania. 

SIR: — As  the  commanding  officer  of  this  division,  of 
which  three  regiments,  the  Fifty-seventh,  Sixty-third,  and 
the  One-hundred-and-fifth  Pennsylvania  volunteers  form  a 
portion,  I  cannot  refrain  from  calling  to  your  notice  the 
important  part  performed  by  them  in  the  battle  of  Wil- 
liamsburg  on  the  fifth  instant,  and  if  not  themselves  the 
sufferers  in  loss,  they  contributed  by  steady  and  imposing 
attitude  to  the  success  of  those  more  immediately  engaged, 
and  would  have  formed  a  means  of  subduing  all  opposition 


WILLIAMSBTJEG.  41 

should  the  enemy  have  resisted  on  the  following  day. 
A  picket  of  one  hundred  and  twelve  men  of  the  One- 
hundred-and-fifth,  under  Lieutenant  Gilbert,  were  the  first 
to  enter  the  enemy's  works,  followed  by  the  Fourth  Maine, 
of  General  Birney's  brigade.  Colonel  A.  A.  McKnight, 
One-hundred-and-fifth  Pennsylvania ;  Colonel  Alex'r  Hays, 
Sixty-third,  and  C.  T.  Campbell,  Fifty-seventh,  are  in  my 
first  brigade,  commanded  by  General  Jameson. 

In  conclusion,  your  Excellency,  it  is  not  only  by  her 
noble  regiments  Pennsylvania  was  distinguished  in  the  last 
great  battles :  I  have  to  bring  to  your  notice  and  to  that 
of  the  people  of  the  State,  that  the  second  brigade  of 
my  division  was  commanded  by  a  Pennsylvanian,  General 
Birney.  This  officer  displayed  coolness  and  courage,  and 
brought  into  the  field  the  talents  which  distinguished  him 
among  his  fellow-citizens.  He  has  proved  himself  a  good 
colonel— his  brigade  is  the  model  of  good  discipline.  His 
genius  of  command  was  especially  conspicuous  on  this  day. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

P.  KEARNY, 

Brigadier-general  Third  Division  Third  Corps. 

General  Birney's  official  report  of  the  battle  of  Williams- 
burg  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix.  His  conduct  in 
this,  really  his  first  engagement,  justified  the  high  expecta 
tions  of  his  friends,  and  gave  promise  of  the  success  which 
afterwards  attended  his  career.  His  coolness  and  soldierly 
bearing  were  the  subject  of  comment  in  the  descriptions  of 
the  battle,  which  were  published  in  the  papers  of  the  day. 

6 


BIRKEY  UNDER  AEREST. 


ETER  Williamsburg,  the  army 
continued  "  on  to  Richmond," 
and  on  June  1st,  the  coun 
try  was  electrified  by  the  fol 
lowing  dispatch  from  General 
McClellan : — 

FROM  THE  FIELD  OP  BATTLE, 

June  1st,  twelve  o'clock,  noon. 

To  THE  HON.  E.  M.  STANTON, 

Secretary  of  War : 

We  have  had  a  desperate  battle,  in  which  the  corps  of 
Generals  Sumner,  Heintzelman,  and  Keyes  have  been  en 
gaged,  against  greatly  superior  numbers.  Yesterday,  at  one 
o'clock,  the  enemy,  taking  advantage  of  a  terrible  storm, 
which  had  flooded  the  valley  of  the  Chickahominy,  attacked 
our  troops  on  the  right  flank. 

Casey's  division,  which  was  in  the  first  line,  gave  way 
unaccountably,  and  this  caused  a  temporary  confusion,  during 
which  the  guns  and  baggage  were  lost,  but  Generals  Heint 
zelman  and  Kearny  most  gallantry  brought  up  their  troops, 
which  checked  the  enemy,  and  at  the  same  time,  however, 
succeeded  by  great  exertions  in  bringing  across  Sedgwick 
and  Richardson's  divisions,  who  drove  back  the  enemy  at 
the  point  of  the  bayonet,  covering  the  ground  with  his  dead. 
.<•*-) 


BIRNEY    UNDER    ARREST.  43 

This  morning  the  enemy  attempted  to  renew  the  conflict, 
but  was  everywhere  repulsed. 

We  have  taken  many  prisoners,  among  whom  is  General 
Pettigrew  and  Colonel  Long. 

Our  loss  is  heavy,  but  that  of  the  enemy  must  be  enormous. 

With  the  exception  of  Casey's  division,  the  men  behaved 
splendidly. 

Several  fine  bayonet  charges  have  been  made.     The  Second 
Excelsior  made  two  to-day. 

GEO.  B.  McCLELLAN, 

Major-general  Commanding. 

After  reading  this  and  knowing  that  General  Birney  was 
present  when  "  Kearny  most  gallantly  brought  up  his  troops," 
his  friends  were  somewhat  surprised  by  the  announcement  in 
the  papers  of  the  next  day,  that  General  Birney  had,  on  the 
31st  of  May,  "halted  his  command  a  mile  from  the  enemy," 
for  which  he  had  been  put  under  arrest  by  order  of  General 
Heintzelman.  They  did  not  believe  the  charge,  but  the  fact 
of  the  arrest  they  were  compelled  to  admit.  What  General 
Birney  did  on  that  day  is  written  in  the  official  reports  of 
Generals  Kearny  and  Birney,  for  which  see  Appendix.  Why 
he  was  arrested  and  subjected  to  the  ordeal  of  a  court-martial 
needs  some  explanation.  His  men  were  under  arms  all  night, 
and  he  and  they  were  all  under  the  impression  that  their 
whole  duty  had  been  performed.  The  next  morning,  (Sun 
day,)  at  daybreak,  he  received  the  order  placing  him  under 
arrest.  Knowing  there  was  some  misapprehension,  (which 
General  Heintzelman  subsequently  admitted  in  his  official 
report  of  the  battle,)  he  at  once  rode  over  to  General  Heint- 


44  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

zclman's  headquarters,  and  sent  in  his  name  by  an  orderly. 
He  was  answered  by  a  staff-officer  that  the  general  was  not 
out  of  bed  and  could  not  be  disturbed,  and  was  reminded 
that  being  under  arrest,  his  duty  was  to  await  further  action. 
This  he  knew  well,  but  he  insisted  on  seeing  the  general  for 
the  purpose  of  explanation,  and  while  he  admitted  the  irreg 
ularity  of  the  application,  according  to  the  strict  rules  of 
regular  military  usage,  he  asked  that  his  message  be  taken 
in.  He  received  for  answer,  that  all  communication  with 
General  Heiritzelman  must  be  in  writing. 

He   returned   and   did   not   resume   the   command   of  his 

•  . 

brigade  until  after  the  court-martial  had  passed  upon  the 
charges  preferred  against  him.  He  made  one  more  effort, 
however,  to  make  explanation,  and  this  time  the  rules  of 
military  etiquette  were  complied  with,  and  the  application 
was  in  writing.  A  note  from  General  Birney  was  sent  to 
General  Heintzelman  by  Major  J.  F.  Tobias,  of  Philadelphia, 
a  volunteer  aide  on  General  Birney's  staff,  and  enclosed  the 
following  from  General  Kcarny: — 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION,  THIRD 

CORPS,  June  2,  18G2. 

SIR  : — I  am  positive  that  General  Birney  has  never  dis 
obeyed  orders,  intentionally,  nor  by  any  want  of  either 
courage  or  intelligence.  I  look  on  him  as  a  superior  officer. 

I  am  positive  that  if  you  would  accord  him  a  hearing,  or 
enable  him  to  answer  any  categorical  demands,  it  would  be 
perfectly  satisfactory  to  you. 

In  a  wooded  country  orders  apparently  conflict.  The  fact 
of  his  saving  Couch's  division  seems  a  proof  of  his  effecting 


BIRNEY    UNDER    ARREST.  45 

what  was  intended.  As  for  myself,  with  Berry's  brigade,  I 
retook  Casey's  lost  ground,  and  the  consequence  was,  that  my 
troops  were  completely  cut  off  from  the  enemy,  forcing  in 
other  troops  of  Keyes'  corps. 

I  take  the  liberty  of  bringing  this  to  your  notice,  know 
ing  your  kindness,  as  well  as  generosity  of  disposition  towards 
all  under  your  command. 

Most  respectfully, 

P.  KEARNY, 

Brigadier-general,  commanding  Third  Division. 

To  CAPTAIN  MCKEEVEB, 

For  General  Hcintzelman. 


This,  however,  produced  no  result,  and  General  Birney 
quietly  awaited  the  receipt  of  charges  and  the  action  of  the 
court  to  be  constituted.  As  the  army  was  in  motion  the 
court  could  not  be  assembled  until  June  14th,  and  its  duty 
was  performed  in  a  day. 

General  Heintzelman  was  called  as  a  witness  before  the 
court,  and  said  he  had  given  General  Birney  no  orders,  but 
they  were  conveyed  through  General  Kearny.  Of  the  cir 
cumstances  which  led  to  this  arrest,  General  Heintzelman 
thus  speaks  in  his  report,  dated  June  7,  1862: — 

"Early  in  the  afternoon  (three  o'clock,  P.  M.)  an  order 
was  sent,  on  the  application  of  General  Keyes,  to  General 
Kearny,  to  send  a  brigade  up  the  railroad  to  his  assistance. 
The  order  sent  to  General  Kearny  was  to  send  a  brigade 
up  the  railroad  to  the  front,  and  General  Birney's  was 
ordered  up.  I  learned,  after  I  arrived  on  the  field  of  battle, 


46  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

that  the  brigade  was  halted  on  the  railroad  a  very  short  dis 
tance  from  the  camp.  *  *  *  *  Through  what 
misunderstanding  or  counter  orders  it  was  kept  back,  I  am 
unable  to  say.  I  have  since  learned  that  General  Kearny 
gave  the  orders.  After  the  battle  General  Birney  was  placed 
under  arrest,  by  my  order,  and  brought  before  a  court-martial, 
for  disobedience  of  orders.  The  court  honorably  acquitted 
him." 

General  Birney  managed  his  own  defence  before  the  court, 
and  interposed  no  objection  whatever  to  any  witness  or  ques 
tion.  When  the  case  of  the  Government  was  concluded  the 
court  was  cleared,  and  on  its  reopening  General  Birney  was 
informed  that  the  court  did  not  consider  it  necessary  for 
him  to  offer  any  defence.  Under  this  intimation  he  called 
no  witnesses,  and  was  the  same  day  "honorably  acquitted" 
by  a  finding,  which,  with  the  charges,  &c.,  will  be  found  in 
the  Appendix. 

Thus  ended  this  prosecution,  which  had  been  gazetted 
throughout  the  land.  Its  result  in  the  army  and  on  the 
general  public  was  highly  advantageous  to  General  Birney. 
His  conduct  as  a  soldier  was  made  the  subject  of  investiga 
tion  by  a  tribunal  composed  of  gentlemen  of  the  regular 
army,  to  whom  he  was  a  stranger.  It  terminated  by  elicit 
ing  their  admiration  for  him  as  a  man  and  a  soldier,  and 
established  his  position  among  them  as  nothing  else  could 
have  done.  The  public,  as  well  as  General  McClellan,  ap 
proved  the  finding ;  and  General  Birney  "  resumed  his  sword 
and  his  command"  with  the  sympathy  which  human  nature 
always  bestows  on  those  who  have  had  to  pass  through 
such  an  ordeal  without  cause. 


BIRNEY    UNDER    ARREST.  47 

After  General  Birney's  return  to  his  brigade  the  following 
letter  was  addressed  him  by  Colonel  (now  Major-general) 
Egan,  of  the  Fortieth  New  York  volunteers,  and  is  an 
evidence  of  the  feeling  which  was  entertained  for  him  by 
the  officers  and  men  of  his  brigade : — 

HEADQUARTERS  FORTIETH  REGIMENT  N.  Y.  V. 
June  19,  1862. 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL  D.  B.  BIRNEY, 

Commanding  Second  Brigade,  Kearny's  Division. 

GENERAL: — It  is  with  heartfelt  pleasure  that,  on  behalf  of 
the  officers  of  my  regiment,  as  well  as  myself,  I  offer  you 
our  congratulations  on  your  return  to  the  command  of  your 
brigade,  after  so  speedy  and  triumphant  a  vindication  from 
the  charges  made  against  you. 

As  for  our  part,  on  the  morning  of  the  31st  May,  not  a 
heart  beat  but  with  joy  at  the  prospect  of  encountering  the 
enemy,  and  with  implicit  confidence  in  the  bravery,  energy, 
and  skill  of  our  leader.  We  were,  as  we  all  knew,  in  a  po 
sition  of  incalculable  importance,  the  very  key  of  the  whole, 
line,  and  all  looked  forward  eagerly  to  a  renewal  of  the 
scenes  of  Williamsburg,  and  to  the  addition  to  our  laurels 
already  gained  of  new  ones,  which  should  shed  lustre  on  the 
whole  brigade. 

What  was  our  surprise,  therefore,  on  the  next  morning, 
to  find  that  you  had  been  relieved  from  your  command  on 
charges  known  to  us  to  originate  in  mistake,  and  to  involve 
offences  utterly  foreign  to  your  nature  1  The  news  fell  upon 
us  unexpectedly,  and  with  painful  effect.  But  we  knew  the 
valor  and  worth  of  your  successor,  and  determined  that  the 


48  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

discipline   and   self-devotion    of   your   command   should    that 
day  refute  the  slanderous  charges  made  against  you. 

We  were  soon  at  our  task — that  of  saving  from  capture 
and  destruction  a  whole  division  of  our  forces.  The  scanty 
numbers  of  your  brigade,  after  the  fight,  and  the  appalling 
weight  of  the  fire  poured  upon  us  by  overwhelming  odds, 
you  know  well.  We  leave  to  our  commander  to  say  whether 
we  merited  your  approbation. 

General,  we  welcome  you  among  us,  and  we  are  ready, 
though  with  decimated  numbers,  to  follow  you  again,  and 
trust  that  the  next  battle  will  afford  you  an  opportunity 
of  convincing  every  one,  as  thoroughly  as  us,  that  in  the 
willingness  to  obey,  you  are  second  to  none. 
I  am,  General, 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

T.  W.  EGAN, 

Lieut. -Colonel,  command'g  Fortieth  N.  Y.  V. 


FAIR  OAKS,  OR  SEVEN  PINES. 


FTER  discussing  the  court-martial  which 
passed  upon  the  charges  preferred 
against  General  Birney  for  his  sup 
posed  misconduct  at  the  battle  of 
Fair  Oaks,  it  will  be  pertinent  to 
show  what  he  did  and  under  what 
orders.  The  whole  movement  was 
unexpected  by  our  commander-in- 

chief,  and  his  report  of  it  to  the  War  Department  was 
eventually  modified  so  as  to  relieve  some  of  our  soldiers 
from  the  censure  which  they  encountered  from  his  first 
telegram  to  Washington,  which  has  been  published  in  full 
in  the  foregoing  history  of  the  court-martial.  It  appears 
now  that  General  Casey's  men  had  been  permitted  to  ad 
vance  too  far  beyond  the  Chickahominy.  There  they  were 
encamped  against  the  remonstrances  of  some  of  their  gen 
eral  officers,  who  saw  that  the  position  they  had  taken  was 
not  tenable.  The  anxiety  of  these  officers  is  not  now  mis 
understood,  though  at  the  time  the  criticisms  were  neither 
flattering  nor  complimentary.  They  saw  that  it  was  impos 
sible  to  hold  the  position  they  had  assumed,  unless  their 
support  was  invincible.  This  it  could  not  be,  for  our  army 
was  spread  over  a  large  territory,  and  to  throw  the  columns 
to  any  one  point  in  a  given  time  was  a  physical  impossibil 
ity.  So  the  result  proved.  Casey's  men  were  attacked  by 

7  (49) 


50  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

overwhelming  numbers,  and  were  driven  in  upon  the  com 
mand  of  General  Keyes.  These  men  in  their  turn  required 
support,  and  at  three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  on  the  31st  of  May,  1862, 
General  Birney  received  an  order  from  General  Kearny  to 
move  his  brigade  up  the  line  of  the  railroad,  and  report  to 
General  Keyes.  Within  ten  minutes  after  the  receipt  of 
the  order,  the  brigade,  which  had  been  in  the  rifle-pits,  was 
in  motion,  led  by  the  Fourth  regiment  of  Maine  volunteers, 
followed  by  the  Fortieth  New  York,  the  Third  Maine,  and 
a  part  of  the  Thirty-eighth  New  York ;  the  remainder  of  the 
Thirty-eighth  having  been  detailed  early  in  the  day  for 
picket  duty.  Soon  after  the  brigade  had  begun  its  march, 
General  Kearny  rode  up  and  ordered  General  Birney  to 
return  to  the  Williamsburg  and  Richmond  road,  and  place 
his  men  in  rifle-pits  thrown  up  there.  This  order  was 
obeyed,  General  Kearny  himself  superintending  the  dispo 
sition  of  the  men  of  the  Fortieth  New  York  volunteers.  In 
peremptory  tones  he  ordered  General  Birney  to  obey  no  order 
unless  it  came  through  him,  saying  that  the  enemy  had  pos 
session  of  the  first  line,  and  the  only  hope  of  success  was 
the  second  line;  part  of  which  General  Birney's  men  held. 
When  the  men  were  driven  back  General  Birney  succeeded 
in  rallying  some  of  the  fugitives,  and  with  the  aid  of  Cap 
tain  Cavada's  company  of  the  Twenty-third  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  (part  of  his  old  regiment,)  attached  them  to  the 
Thirty-eighth  New  York.  In  this  he  was  aided  by  "  Cap 
tains  Gwyn  and  Cavada,  and  Lieutenant  J.  B.  Fassitt  of  the 
Twenty-third  Pennsylvania  volunteers,"  who  actively  assisted 
him  in  his  efforts  to  reform  the  fugitives  and  attach  them 
to  Captain  Cavada's  company,  which  had  been  on  picket 


FAIR    OAKS,   OR    SEVEN    PINES.  51 

duty,  and   in   the    confusion   of    the   battle  willingly  joined 
and  did  their  duty  faithfully  under  his  command. 

At  five  o'clock  a  staff  officer  from  General  Heintzclman, 
who  commanded  the  Third  Corps,  came  to  General  Birncy 
with  an  order  to  advance  to  the  support  of  General  Keyes. 
He  moved  without  delay — the  Third  Maine  being  in  the 
advance — and  sent  his  aids,  Major  J.  F.  Tobias  and  Captain 
Mindil,  to  withdraw  the  Fortieth  New  York  and  the  Fourth 
Maine  from  the  positions  in  which  they  had  been  placed  by 
General  Kearny,  and  order  them  to  follow.  As  General 
.Birney  moved,  Colonel  Campbell,  of  the  Fifty-seventh  Penn 
sylvania  volunteers,  reported  to  him  that  he  too  had  been 
ordered  up  the  railroad.  General  Birney  assumed  command 
of  this  regiment  and  placed  it  in  his  column.  After  advanc 
ing  about  a  mile  up  the  railroad  the  firing  became  very 
heavy  upon  the  left  of  the  column.  General  Birncy  led  the 
Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania  and  Fortieth  New  York  into  the 
woods  on  the  left  and  drove  back  the  enemy,  from  the 
attempt  to  turn  the  right  flank  of  our  troops,  and  in  this 
effort  Colonel  Campbell  was  severely  wounded  and  the  major 
of  his  regiment  killed. 

During  this  struggle,  one  of  General  Couch's  staff  officers 
rode  up  to  General  Birney,  and  said  that  he  had  come 
direct  from  General  Couch,  with  word  that  his  command 
had  been  cut  off,  but  he  had  found  a  road  through  the 
swamp,  by  which  he  could  escape  if  General  Birney  could 
hold  the  railroad.  General  Birney  answered,  that  he  could 
and  would  hold  the  railroad.  In  a  few  moments  Captain 
Sydam,  of  General  Kcyes'  staff,  rode  up  to  General  Birncy 
and  told  him  that  General  Ileintzelman  ordered  him  to 


52  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

still  advance  up  the  railroad.  General  Birney  asked  the 
messenger  whether  General  Heintzelman  knew  where  he 
was,  and  was  told  that  General  Heintzelman  was  two  miles 
in  the  rear,  and  that  he  (the  messenger)  knew  nothing 
beyond  the  order.  General  Birney  at  once  commenced  to 
throw  out  skirmishers  and  withdrew  his  regiments.  While 
doing  this  Captain  Hassler,  of  General  Kearny's  staff,  rode 
up  and  ordered  him  to  return  with  his  brigade  to  the  posi 
tion  he  had  occupied  at  three  o'clock.  General  Birney  at 
once  sent  Captain  Linnard,  of  his  staff,  to  General  Kearny, 
explaining  his  position.  He  received  in  answer  a  repetition 
of  the  order  to  return.  He  then  went  himself  to  General 
Kearny,  explained  his  position,  and  was  directed  to  retain 
it.  He  did  so,  and  in  a  short  time  his  men  were  connected 
with  those  of  General  French.  During  the  night  General 
Birney's  men  bivouacked  behind  the  railroad  embankment, 
with  the  enemy  in  their  front,  under  arms  and  prepared  for 
an  attack.  At  daylight  the  next  morning  he  was  placed 
under  arrest,  by  order  of  General  Heintzelman.  For  what 
reason  this  arrest  was  made  he  never  knew  beyond  what 
transpired  during  the  court-martial,  before  referred  to,  and 
during  his  subsequent  career  he  was  too  much  engaged  to 
inquire  into  the  reasons. 


AN  ELOQUENT  ORDER 


N   the   5th   of  June,    1862,    General 
Kearny  issued   to  his   troops   the 
following    characteristic    and    elo 
quent   order,  which  is   introduced   as   one 
of  a  series  by  which  he  gave  to  his  men 
credit   for  what  they  had   performed,  and 
animated  them  with  spirit  for  the  future : 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION,  THIRD  CORPS, 
CAMP  NEAR  RICHMOND,  June  5,  18G2. 

[GENERAL  ORDER,  No.  15.] 

BRAVE  REGIMENTS  OF  THE  DIVISION: — You  have  won  for 
us  a  high  reputation.  The  country  is  satisfied;  your  friends 
at  home  are  proud  of  you.  After  two  battles  and  victories, 
purchased  with  much  blood,  you  may  be  counted  as  veterans. 

I  appeal  then  to  your  experience,  to  your  personal  observa 
tion,  to  your  high  intelligence,  to  put  in  practice  on  the 
battle-field  the  discipline  you  have  acquired  in  camp.  It  will 
enable  you  to  conquer  with  more  certainty  and  less  loss. 

Shoulder  Straps  and  Chevrons !  you  are  marked  men ;  you 
must  be  ever  in  the  front. 

Colonels  and  Field  Officers!  when  it  comes  to  the  bayo 
net,  lead  the  charge;  at  other  times  be  among  your  men 
and  supervise.  Keep  officers  and  men  to  their  constituted 

(53) 


54  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

commands;   stimulate  the  laggard;  brand  the  coward;  direct 
the  brave;  prevent  companies  from  "huddling  up." 

Marksmen!  never  in  the  fight  cheapen  your  rifles.  When 
you  fire  make  sure  and  hit.  In  wood  or  abbattis  one  man 
in  three  is  to  fire,  the  others  reserve  their  loads  to  repel  an 
onset,  or  to  head  a  rush.  It  is  with  short  marches  and 
this  extra  fire  from  time  to  time,  such  ground  is  gained. 
Each  man  up  in  first  line ;  none  delaying ;  share  danger 
alike;  then  the  peril  and  loss  will  be  small. 

Men !  You  brave  soldiers  in  the  ranks !  whose  worth 
and  daring  unknown,  perhaps,  to  your  superiors,  but  recog 
nized  by  your  comrades,  influence  more  than  others,  I  know 
that  you  exist.  I  have  watched  you  in  the  fire.  Your  merit 
is  sure  to  have  its  recompense;  your  comrades  at  the  bivouac 
will  repeat  your  deeds;  it  will  gladden  your  families,  and  in 
the  end  will  be  brought  before  your  country. 

Color-bearers  of  regiments !  Bear  them  proudly  in  the 
fight;  erect  and  defiantly  in  the  first  line.  It  will  cast  ter 
ror  into  your  opponents  to  see  them  sustained  and  carried 
forward.  Let  them  be  the  beacon-light  of  every  regiment. 
The  noblest  inscription  on  your  banners  are  the  traces  of 
the  balls. 

Again,  noble  division,  I  wish  you  success  and  more  vic 
tories,  until — the  cause  of  our  sacred  Union  being  triumphant 
— you  return  honored  to  your  homes. 

By  order  of  Brigadier-General  Kcarny, 

W.  E.  STURGESS, 

Acting  Assistant  Adjutant- general. 


THE    SEVEN    DAYS. 


N  the  19th  of  June,  1862,  the  finding  of 
the  court-martial,  before  which  General 
Birney  was  tried,  was  made  public 
and  approved  by  General  McClellan,  by 
whom  General  Birney  was  ordered  to 
"resume  his  sword  and  the  command 
of  his%  brigade."  During  the  time  he 
was  relieved  from  command  there  was 
no  fighting.  On  June  25th,  our  bridges  and  entrenchments 
being  at  last  completed,  an  advance  was  ordered  preparatory 
to  a  general  forward  movement.  Between  eight  and  nine 
o'clock  of  that  day  the  advance  was  begun  by  General 
Heintzelman's  corps.  On  the  following  day  General  Birney 
received  from  General  Heintzelman,  the  officer  by  whose 
order  he  had  been  arrested  and  subjected  to  the  ordeal 
of  trial  by  court-martial  less  than  a  month  previous,  the 
following  note : — 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  CORPS,  SAVAGE'S 
STATION,  VA.,  June  26,  1862. 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL  D.  B.  BIRNEY, 

Commanding  Second  Brigade,  Keamy's  Division. 

GENERAL  : — The  Brigadier-general  commanding  desires  me 
to  express  to  you  his  thanks  for  the  prompt  and  energetic 

(55) 


56  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

manner  in  which  you  brought  forward  your  brigade  to   the 
support  of  General  Hooker,  yesterday  morning. 
I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)     CHAUNCEY  McKEEVER, 

Chief  of  Staff. 

GENERAL  BIRNEY. 

This  action  has  been  called  the  battle  of  Glendale,  or 
Nelson's  Farm;  and  though  in  his  report  of  it  General 
Heintzelman  does  not  mention  the  name  of  General  Birney, 
he  speaks  in  terms  of  the  warmest  commendation  of  the  con 
duct  of  Kearny's  division.  The  foregoing  note  is  evidence 
of  his  appreciation  of  General  Birney's  services. 

On  the  26th  of  June  the  battle  of  Beaver  Dam  Creek  was 
fought.  In  this  the  Third  Corps  was  not  engaged.  On  the 
evening  of  the  26th  it  was  evident  that,  on  the  following 
day,  there  would  be  a  general  engagement,  which  took  place, 
and  is  known  as  the  battle  of  Games'  Mills.  In  this  des 
perate  fight  the  Third  Corps  took  no  part,  but  were  placed 
in  the  entrenchments  on  the  banks  of  the  Chickahominy 
ready  to  move  when  ordered.  The  engagement  having,  how 
ever,  resulted  disastrously  to  our  arms,  General  McClellan 
determined  to  change  his  base,  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
28th  the  change  began.  On  the  night  of  the  28th  the 
Third  Corps  received  orders  to  withdraw  from  the  ad 
vanced  position  they  had  taken  on  the  25th,  and  to  occupy 
the  entrenched  lines  about  a  mile  to  the  rear.  This  move 
ment  was  executed  the  next  day  in  good  order,  though  the 
troops  were  followed  closely  by  the  enemy,  who  took  posses- 


SEVEN    DAYS.  57 

.  sion  of  our  camps  as  soon  as  the  men  left  them.  On  the 
morning  of  the  30th  the  Third  Corps  destroyed  the  bridge 
at  Bracket's  Ford,  and  felled  trees  across  the  road  to  impede 
the  progress  of  the  enemy.  This  duty  having  been  success 
fully  performed  a  halt  was  ordered,  but  was  not  of  long 
duration.  The  next  morning,  the  31st  of  July,  General 
Franklin  was  compelled  to  fall  back,  and  General  Heintzel- 
man,  commanding  the  Third  Corps,  and  other  corps  com 
manders  were  ordered  to  fall  back  also. 

The  positions  occupied  by  the  different  corps  were  those 
assigned  by  the  Commander-in-chief  to  resist  the  further 
advance  of  the  enemy.  This  resulted  in  the  battle  of  Mal- 
vern  Hill,  or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  Turkey  Bend,  which 
the  Richmond  Examiner  described,  on  July  4,  1862,  as  the 
fiercest  and  most  sanguinary  of  the  series  of  bloody  con 
flicts  that  signalized  each  of  the  previous  seven  days.  The 
division  of  General  Kearny  was  on  the  left,  connecting  with 
the  right  of  General  Couch's  division,  who  was  supported 
by  General  Hooker  on  the  right  of  Kearny.  Against  this 
part  of  our  line  the  enemy  massed  their  troops,  but  to  no 
purpose.  During  the  day  the  Fourth  Maine,  one  of  the  regi 
ments  of  General  Birney's  brigade,  was  particularly  distin 
guished  for  its  coolness  in  holding  a  ravine  and  repulsing 
the  enemy's  skirmishers. 

This  was  the  last  of  the  fighting  of  the  famous  seven 
days  on  the  Peninsula.  The  enemy  followed  no  further, 
having  been  defeated  in  the  engagement  at  Malvern  Hill 
more .  thoroughly  than  during  any  engagement  which  up  to 
that  time  had  been  fought.  Our  army  was  then  permitted 
to  rest,  and  never  was  rest  more  welcome.  The  men  were 


58  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

exhausted  by  fighting  during  the  day  and  marching  during 
the  night.  From  the  26th  of  June  to  the  1st  of  July  inclu 
sive,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  suffered  and  endured  as 
much  as  it  was  possible  for  men  to  undergo.  During  these 
days  many  general  officers,  and  among  them  General  Bir- 
ney,  had  not  their  horses  unsaddled,  nor  had  they  time  for 
repose  or  refreshment,  either  day  or  night,  except  such  as 
they  took  by  the  wayside.  All  their  personal  baggage  was 
lost,  with  papers,  memoranda,  &c.,  which  would  be  invalu 
able  in  writing  the  story  of  these  engagements.  The 
absence  of  official  documents  has  caused  great  variety  of 
opinion  and  much  discussion  in  regard  to  the  campaign  on 
the  Peninsula.  Its  failure  has,  of  course,  elicited  consider 
able  criticism,  which  probably  will  never  be  quieted.  The 
causes  of  the  failure  will  be  explained  by  different  writers, 
according  to  their  personal  and  political  prejudices,  during 
the  life  of  the  present  generation ;  but  when  time  shall  have 
destroyed  these  prejudices,  history  will  record  the  almost 
unprecedented  sacrifice  of  life  and  of  treasure  on  the  Penin 
sula,  without  censuring  the  policy  which  Abraham  Lincoln, 
or  any  of  his  cabinet,  adopted  in  their  determination  not 
to  risk  the  Capital  of  the  Nation. 


HAERISOJN'S    LANDING. 

HE  order  was  given  on  the  1st  of  July, 
1862,  for  the  movement  of  the  army 
to  Harrison's  Landing,  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  James  river,  which  had 
been  selected  as  the  new  position  for 
the  army.  The  Fourth  Corps,  under 
General  Keyes,  was  ordered  to  cover 
the  movement,  by  the  le£t  and  rear.  One  of  the  divisions 
on  the  left  was  not  able  to  move  as  early  as  was  antici 
pated,  and  it  was  found  necessary  to  place  a  rear  guard 
between  this  division  and  the  enemy.  This  delicate  duty 
was  entrusted  to  the  Third  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  under 
Colonel  (now  Major-General)  Averill,  the  only  cavalry  at 
tached  to  the  Third  Corps.  By  judicious  use  of  the  re 
sources  at  his  command  he  deceived  the  enemy  so  as  to 
cover  the  withdrawal  of  the  left  wing  without  being 
attacked,  remaining  himself  on  the  previous  day's  battle 
field  until  seven  o'clock  of  July  2d.  Aided  by  this-  move 
ment  General  Keyes  was  able  to  cover  the  movement  of  the 
entire  army  and  protect  the  trains,  the  last  of  which  arrived 
in  safety  at  Harrison's  Bar  after  dark  on  the  3d  of  July. 

It  was  during  these  dark  days  that  Colonel  (now  Major- 
General)  Robert  O.  Tyler,  then  in  command  of  the  First 
Connecticut  Artillery,  displayed  those  qualities  which  have 

(59) 


60  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY". 

since  made  him  so  distinguished,  and  have  enabled  him  to 
render  such  valuable  services  to  his  country  during  her 
troubles. 

At  Harrison's  Landing  the  army  rested  until  the  middle 
of  August,  1862.  On  the  14th  the  Third  Corps  received 
orders  to  retire  to  Yorktown.  The  next  morning,  under 
orders  from  General  Heintzelman,  General  Birney  marched 
his  brigade  to  Jones'  bridge,  on  the  Chickahominy,  which 
he  was  ordered  to  hold,  and  cover  the  movement  of  the 
troops  from  their  old  camp  at  Harrison's  Bar.  This  was 
done,  and  on  August  16th  General  Heintzelman  moved  the 
corps  to  Barhamsville,  thence  to  Williamsburg,  where  he  united 
with  the  main  body  of  the  army,  and  was  there  joined  by 
General  Birney.  • 


POPE^S    CAMPAIGN. 

^TOPPING  one  day  at  Wffliamsbuig, 
the  corps  moved  to  Yorktown  on 
the  17th,  and  on  the  20th  General 
Kearny's  division  embarked  for  Acquia 
Creek.  Here  they  were  met  by  orders 
to  continue  up  the  Potomac  to  Alexandria, 
where  they  arrived  at  thirty  minutes  past 
one,  P.  M.,  on  August  21st,  and  received  orders  to  hurry 
forward  to  the  support  of  General  Pope.  General  Birney's 
brigade  left  Alexandria  that  afternoon  and  arrived  the  next 

o 

morning  at  Warrenton  Junction,  where  they  were  soon 
joined  by  the  Third  Corps  on  August  26th;  and  on  the 
27th  the  entire  corps  advanced  to  Bristow  Station  and 
thence  to  Greenwich.  On  reaching  Bristow  Station  the 
troops  encountered  a  part  of  General  Ewell's  corps,  which, 
after  a  sharp  engagement,  retreated  towards  Manassas  Junc 
tion.  The  next  morning  General  Kearny's  division,  fol 
lowed  by  General  Hooker's,  advanced  to  Manassas  Junction, 
where  they  found  the  railroad  trains,  fired  by  the  enemy, 
still  burning. 

After  the  halt,  General  Birney,  with  part  of  Companies  II 
and  K,  of  the  Second  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  under  com 
mand  of  Captain  Charles  Chauncey,  of  Philadelphia,  made 
a  reconnoissance  towards  Centreville.  Upon  his  arrival  in 
the  town  vidcttes  were  thrown  out,  and  he  endeavored  to 

(61) 


62  DAVID    BELL    DIRNET. 

ascertain  from  the  inhabitants  the  direction  the  enemy  had 
taken.  While  in  conversation  with  one  of  the  citizens,  a 
vidcttc  rode  in  and  reported  that  a  regiment  of  cavalry, 
displaying  the  United  States  flag,  was  approaching  the  place, 
at  a  gallop,  with  drawn  sabres.  General  Birney  inspected 
the  newcomers  through  his  field-glass,  and  seeing  they  were 
in  rebel  uniform,  decided  that  it  would  be  expedient  for  him 
and  his  escort  to  return  without  delay  to  our  lines.  They 
started  immediately,  and  the  chase  began  towards  Manassas 
Junction.  Birney  and  his  men  being  well  mounted,  soon 
left  their  pursuers  behind  them.  The  chase  was  kept  up 
until  Birney  and  the  escort  were  within  our  lines,  when 
the  majority  of  the  pursuing  regiment  halted  at  a  respectful 
distance  from  a  battery  which  General  Kearny  had  planted 
in  the  road.  One  rebel,  better  mounted  and  more  daring 
than  his  comrades,  had,  from  the  start,  made  an  effort 
to  ride  up  to  General  Birney,  and  came  near  him  when 
approaching  our  lines.  When  almost  near  enough  to  strike 
the  general  with  his  sabre,  he  called  out,  "  Surrender !  you're 
my  prisoner!" 

Birney,  though  riding  at  a  run,  replied,  "I  guess  not," 
and  raising  his  revolver,  which  he  had  carried  in  his  hand 
from  Centreville,  fired,  and  unhorsed  his  captor,  who  fell  to 
the  ground,  and  was  never  again  able  to  raise  his  sword 
against  a  soldier  of  the  Union. 

During  the  afternoon  it  was  ascertained  that  the  enemy 
had  fallen  back  on  Centreville  and  were  about  thirty  thou 
sand  strong.  Kearny  pushed  on,  Birney's  brigade  being 
in  the  advance,  and  when  they  reached  Centreville  found 
but  one  regiment  of  rebel  cavalry,  which  fell  back  with 


POPE'S  CAMPAIGN.  63 

the  main  body  on  the  Warrenton  Turnpike.  Here  Bir- 
ney's  men  encamped  on  August  29th,  and  it  was  their 
first  attempt  to  rest  for  fifteen  days,  but  the  halt  was  of 
short  duration.  At  one,  A.  M.,  of  August  30th,  they  were 
ordered  to  advance  untif  they  met  the  enemy's  pickets. 

Of  August  29th  and  30th,  General  Kcarny,  in  his  official 
report,  dated  Centreville,  August  31st,  speaks  as  follows: — 

"  On  the  29th,  on  my  arrival  at  this  place,  I  was  assigned 
to  holding  the  right  wing  on  the  turnpike.  I  posted  Colonel 
Poe  with  Berry's  brigade  in  my  first  line;  General  Robin 
son  with  the  first  brigade  on  his  right  partly  in  line  and 
partly  in  support,  and  kept  Birncy's  most  disciplined  regi 
ments  reserved  and  ready  for  emergencies.  During  the 
first  hours  of  combat,  as  tired  regiments  in  the  centre  fell 
back,  General  Birney,  of  his  own  accord,  rapidly  pushed 
across  to  give  them  a  hand  to  stimulate  them  to  a  renewed 
fight. 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  30th,  General  Kicketts,  with  two 
brigades,  relieved  me  of  the  charge  of  the  left  of  the  road, 
and  I  again  concentrated  my  command.  We  took  no  part 
in  the  fighting  of  the  morning.  About  five,  P.  M.,  a  sud 
den  and  unaccountable  evacuation  of  the  field  by  the  left 
and  centre  was  made.  Under  orders  from  General  Pope, 
I  massed  my  troops  at  the  indicated  point,  but  soon  reoccu- 
pied  with  Birney's  brigade,  supported  by  Robinson,  a  very 
advanced  block  of  woods.  The  key-point  of  this  new  line 
was  held  by  regiments  of  other  brigades.  On  being  attacked 
they  ceded  the  ground  without  warning  us.  I  maintained 
my  position  until  ten,  P.  M.,  when  I  retired  and  reached 
Centreville  at  two,  A.  M.,  this  morning.  My  loss  has  been 


64  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

over  seven  hundred  and   fifty,  about   one  in  three.      None 
were  taken  prisoners  excepting  my  engineering  officer. 

"It  makes  me  proud  to  dwell  upon  the  renewed  efforts 
of- my  generals  of  brigade  Birney  and  Robinson." 


On  August  31st  an  incident  occurred  which  is  worth 
narrating.  General  Kearny  had  on  his  staff  at  that  time 
Second  Lieutenant  J.  C.  Briscoe,  a  tall,  soldierly-looking 
Irishman,  who,  after  graduating  as  a  civil  engineer  at  Dub 
lin  University,  came  to  America  to  seek  his  fortune,  without 
friends,  without  influence,  and  without  money.  He  soon 
obtained  employment  as  an  engineer  in  the  construction  of 
a  railroad  in  Pennsylvania,  and  on  its  completion,  in  the 
fall  of  1860,  sought  other  employment.  He  soon  obtained 
an  engagement  to  go  to  Brazil  as  one  of  the  constructing 
engineers  of  the  "Don  Pedro  Railroad,"  which  the  Emperor 
was  then  building  from  Rio  Janeiro  to  the  western  part  of 
Brazil.  To  qualify  himself  the  better  for  this  position,  Bris 
coe  sought  and  obtained  employment  early  in  1861,  in  one 
of  the  machine  shops  of  the  city  of  New  York.  When  the 
rebellion  broke  out  he  was  working  in  this  shop  for  day's 
wages,  but  had  engaged  his  passage  to  Rio  in  a  vessel 
advertised  to  sail  about  May  1,  1861.  The  President's  Proc 
lamation  calling  out  troops  interfered  with  his  plans  for 
engineering.  The  next  morning,  having  settled  with  his 
employers,  who  released  him  from  his  contract,  he  pre 
sented  himself  at  one  of  the  recruiting  offices  of  the  First 
New  York  volunteers,  and  asked  to  be  enlisted  as  a  private. 
His  appearance  and  bearing  was  such  that  the  officer  in 


POPE'S  CAMPAIGN.  65 

charge   offered   to    at   once    make    him   a   non-commissioned 
officer. 

"No,"  said  the  new  recruit,  "I  know  nothing  about  the 
science  of  war,  and  until  I  learn  something,  do  not  wish  to 
accept  any  position  except  that  of  a  private." 

When  the  regiment  left  New  York,  he,  being  in  the  color 
company,  was  appointed  by  the  colonel  color-bearer  of  the 
regiment.  The  regiment  was  at  first  in  the  brigade  of  Gen 
eral  Mansfield,  where  Briscoe  volunteered  to  act  as  a  scout. 
While  scouting  he  gained  valuable  information  about  the 
enemy's  works,  and  planned  the  surprise  of  a  number  of 
rebels,  whom  with  a  squad  of  men  he  captured  and  brought 
to  camp,  before  daylight  one  morning.  This  exploit  con 
verted  him  into  a  sort  of  hero  with  his  comrades,  for  at 
that  time  rebel  prisoners  were  very  scarce,  and  these  were 
the  first  that  had  been  seen  by  that  portion  of  the  army. 
His  regiment  took  part  in  the  celebrated  battle  of  Big 
Bethel,  and,  though  he  was  one  of  the  few  who  were 
wounded  in  that  engagement,  he  retained  possession  of  the 
colors  and  brought  them  safely  from  the  field. 

During  the  fall,  General  Mansfield  procured  his  promotion 
to  the  rank  of  second  lieutenant.  In  the  spring  of  1862, 
his  regiment  was  put  in  the  brigade  of  General  Hamilton, 
and  during  the  Peninsular  campaign  was  part  of  General 
Kearny's  division.  On  May  30,  1862,  Lieutenant  Briscoe 
was  superintending  the  digging  of  rifle-pits,  and  his  overcoat 
concealed  his  shoulder-straps.  General  Kearny,  riding  up, 
criticised  in  rather  severe  terms  the  plan  of  the  works,  and 
inquired  for  the  officer  in  charge.  Lieutenant  Briscoe  an 
swered,  and  gave  his  reasons  for  constructing  the  works  as 

9 


66  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

he  had.  General  Kearny  at  once  admitted  that  he  was 
wrong,  and  apologized,  addressing  Briscoe  as  colonel. 

"I  am  not  a  colonel,"  said  Briscoe. 

"  Well,  then,  major." 

"I  am  not  a  major." 

"  What  the  d — 1  are  you  ?"  asked  Kearny. 

"  A  second  lieutenant,  sir." 

"  Do  you  want  to  go  on  my  staff  as  engineer  officer  ?" 
said  the  general. 

"Yes,"  said  Briscoe,  "I  should  like  it  very  much." 

When  Briscoe  returned  to  camp  he  found  the  order  for 
the  detail  on  the  staff  of  General  Kearny,  where  he  re 
mained  until  August  31,  1862,  when  he  went  to  Libby 
Prison.  On  his  return,  General  Kearny  having  been  killed 
in  the  mean  time,  he  went  upon  General  Birncy's  staff, 
whose  fortunes  he  faithfully  and  gallantly  followed  until 
August,  1864,  when,  at  the  instance  of  General  Birney,  he 
received  authority  to  raise  the  One-hundred-and-ninety-ninth 
regiment  of  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  This  regiment  was  at 
the  front  within  twenty  days  after  Briscoe  had  received  au 
thority  to  raise  it,  and  constituted  part  of  the  Tenth  Army 
Corps,  which  General  Birney  commanded  until  his  death. 
From  that  time  until  the  surrender  of  General  Lee,  Colonel 
Briscoe,  with  his  regiment,  one  thousand  strong,  was  contin 
ually  in  the  field,  and  though  wounded  during  the  assault 
on  Fort  Gregg,  was  pushed  forward  by  his  men,  and  was 
one  of  the  first  to  cross  the  parapet.  In  the  pursuit  of  Lee 
the  regiment  took  part,  and  was  engaged  in  the  battle  of 
Appomattox  Court  House,  so  that  from  one  of  the  earliest 
until  the  last  battle  of  the  war,  Briscoe  has  taken  part  in 


POPE'S  CAMPAIGN.  67 

every  engagement  in  which  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  or 
the  Army  of  James  has  participated. 

The  writer  apologizes  for  this  digression  by  saying,  that 
it  gives  him  pleasure  to  speak  of  the  conduct  of  such  men. 
Briscoe's  is  not  an  isolated  case.  There  are  hundreds  in 
our  armies  who,  without  patronage  or  favoritism,  have,  by 
their  own  talents,  worked  their  way  up  from  the  ranks  to 
the  positions  to  which  their  merits  have  entitled  them. 
Without  the  aid  of  such  men  the  armies  of  the  Union 
never  would  have  been  victorious.  May  the  day  never 
come  when  the  country  will  cease  to  do  honor  to  men  like 
Briscoe. 

The  incident  of  August  31,  1862,  to  which  reference  has 
been  made,  illustrates  Briscoe's  coolness,  without  which  no 
soldier  can  gain  the  admiration  of  his  comrades.  About 
noon  he  had  been  sent  by  General  Kearny  to  carry  an 
order  to  a  remote  part  of  the  lines.  When  returning,  about 
four  o'clock,  he  met  the  general  riding  with  General  Birney. 
After  hearing  Briscoe's  report,  Kearny  directed  him  to  ac 
company  him  to  a  house  at  some  distance  from  the  point 
where  they  were  standing,  which  he  had  selected  as  his 
headquarters  for  the  night. 

Briscoe  replied,  "  That  house,  general,  is  in  possession  of 
the  enemy;  when  I  rode  by  it  I  narrowly  escaped  being 
taken  prisoner." 

"Nonsense,"  said  Kearny,  "you  are  timid,  lieutenant;  come 
ahead." 

"  Well,  sir,"  rejoined  Briscoe,  "  if  you  think  I  am  mis 
taken,  let  me  ride  in  advance;  if  our  men  hold  the  house 


68  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

I  will  fire  my  pistol;  if  I  do  not  return  you  may  know  I  am 
a  prisoner." 

"All  right,"  replied  Kearny;  and  Briscoe  rode  forward  into 
the  rebel  lines,  was  taken  prisoner  and  sent  to  Libby  Prison, 
of  which  he  had  the  honor  of  being  one  of  the  first  in 
mates.  He  thus  saved  Kearny  and  Birney  from  capture, 
for  the  same  rashness  which  would  have  impelled  Kearny  to 
have  gone  to  the  house  which  he  proposed,  led  him  forward 
the  next  day  within  the  lines  of  the  enemy,  where  he  fell 
mortally  wounded. 


CHAl^TILLY. 


,  August  31st,  the  men  had  some 
rest  at  Centre  ville,  but  the  next  day, 
September  1st,  General  Pope  sent  for 
General  Heintzelman,  informed  him  that 
the  enemy  were  threatening  our  rear,  and 
ordered  him  to  fall  back  on  the  road 
to  Fairfax  Court  House  to  aid  General 
Reno  in  driving  back  the  enemy.  General  Kearny's 
division  was  again  sent  forward,  Birney's  brigade  in  the 
advance.  At  three,  P.  M.,  General  Reno  made  an  attack. 
"A  portion  of  his  troops  gave  way,  but  General  Birney's 
brigade  of  General  Kearny's  division  gallantly  supported 
them." 

On  reaching  the  field,  near  the  village  of  Chantilly,  Gen 
eral  Birney,  by  orders  from  General  Kearny,  reported  to 
General  Reno,  and  was  ordered  to  the  front.  When  he 
arrived,  a  portion  of  the  division  of  General  Stevens  was 
retiring  in  disorder,  the  officers  of  the  regiments  stating  that 
their  ammunition  was  exhausted.  Birney  ordered  forward 
the  Fourth  Maine,  and  then  took  forward  the  One-hundred- 
and-first  New  York,  Third  Maine,  Fortieth  and  First  New 
York.  These  regiments  engaged  and  drove  back  the  enemy, 
though  greatly  inferior  in  numbers.  As  the  regiments  were 
going  forward,  General  Kearny  came  up  with  Randolph's 

(69) 


70  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

Battery,  which  was  at  once  put  in  position  to  sustain  the 
brigade.  General  Birney  pointed  out  to  General  Kcarny 
a  gap  on  his  right,  caused  by  the  retiring  of  Stevens'  men, 
and  asked  that  Berry's  brigade  be  ordered  up  to  fill  it. 
Kearny  insisted  that  it  was  impossible  for  such  a  gap  to 
exist,  and  said  he  would  ride  forward  to  see  what  troops 
were  there.  Birney  warned  him,  and  urged  him  to  remain, 
saying  he  would  ride  into  the  enemy's  lines,  but  Kearny 
retorted  a  jesting  remark  about  Birney 's  caution,  and  dashed 
ahead.  This  was  the  last  Birney  ever  saw  of  his  friend.  In 
the  words  of  General  Heintzelman,  he  pressed  "  forward  to 
reconnoitre  in  his  usual  gallant,  not  to  say  reckless  manner, 
and  came  upon  a  rebel  regiment.  In  attempting  to  escape 
he  was  killed.  The  country  has  to  mourn  one  of  its  most 
gallant  defenders.  At  the  close  of  the  siege  of  Yorktown 
he  relieved  General  Hamilton  in  the  command  of  the 
division,  and  led  it  in  the  various  battles  on  the  Peninsula, 
commencing  with  Williamsburg.  His  name  is  identified  with 
its  glory." 

As  General  Kearny  did  not  return,  General  Birney  sup 
posed  he  had  been  taken  prisoner,  and  assumed  command 
of  the  division,  being  the  ranking  brigade  commander  on 
the  field.  Though  a  violent  thunder  storm  was  raging,  our 
men  fought  desperately,  and  the  enemy  were  driven  from 
our  front.  Their  retreat  was  hastened  by  the  Thirty-eighth 
New  York  and  Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania,  which  Birney 
ordered  up  "to  complete  the  victory."  Afterwards  Robin 
son's  and  Berry's  brigades  were  ordered  forward  to  relieve 
the  tired  and  decimated  regiments,  and  Birney  remained  in 
possession  of  the  field  until  three,  A.  M.,  the  .  next  day, 


CHAN  TILLY.  71 

when  he  followed,  with  the  division,  the  corps  of  General 
Reno  to  Fairfax  Court  House. 

During  the  night  our  men  were  busy  in  removing  the 
wounded  and  burying  the  dead.  About  ten,  P.  M.,  the 
officer  in  command  of  the  enemy's  lines  sent  a  flag  to 
General  Birney  and  made  himself  known  as  a  former  cor 
respondent  of  Birney's  at  Columbia,  South  Carolina.  He 
said  he  had  within  his  lines  the  body  of  General  Kearny, 
and  would  forward  it  if  General  Birney  wished  him  to  do 
so.  Of  course  General  Birney  requested  that  the  mangled 
body  be  sent  him,  and  when  the  troops  moved  they  carried 
with  them  the  remains  of  their  gallant  and  beloved  general. 
That  midnight  march  was  a  sad  one  for  officers  and  men. 
They  had  gained  a  victory,  and  an  important  one,  but  their 
brave  leader  had  fallen,  and  his  death  caused  grief  which 
prevented  any  exultation  over  their  success.  Birney  was 
not  the  least  of  the  mourners.  Though  for  months  he  had 
been  in  the  midst  of  carnage  and  slaughter,  he  could  not 
restrain  his  feelings,  and  had  the  enemy  during  the  dark 
ness  made  an  attack  upon  those  lion-hearted  men  who  a 
few  hours  before  had  won  a  victory  at  the  point  of  the 
bayonet,  they  would  have  found  them  unmanned  and  almost 
incapable  of  resistance. 

The  success  of  our  arms  at  Chantilly  was  of  great  im 
portance  to  our  army.  General  Pope,  disheartened  by  the 
want  of  co-operation  on  the  part  of  some  corps  commanders, 
was  on  the  retreat  towards  Washington  with  exhausted 
troops,  who  had  become  dispirited  by  frequent  reverses.  The 
rebel  commander,  with  troops  flushed  with  success,  attempted 
to  out-flank  General  Pope.  Had  this  movement  been  a  sue- 


72  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

cess,  such,  of  our  men  as  succeeded  in  regaining  Washington 
would  have  entered  it  as  a  disorganized  mob  and  not  as 
an  army.  Besides  this,  the  wounded  and  sick  were  suffer 
ing  for  want  of  care  and  medicine.  One  large  train  of 
medical  stores  had  been  captured,  and  the  movement  which 
Chantilly  had  frustrated  would  have  resulted  in  the  loss  of 
the  second  train,  which  was  then  on  its  way  to  General 
Pope's  army.  General  Pope,  in  his  official  report,  on  pages 
18  to  27,  gives  to  the  success  at  Chantilly  its  real  impor 
tance.  He  says,  (p.  27 :)  "  The  main  body  of  our  forces 
was  so  much  broken  down  and  so  completely  exhausted, 
that  they  were  in  no  condition,  even  on  the  1st  of  Sep 
tember,  for  any  active  operations  against  the  enemy,  but  I 
determined  to  attack  at  daylight  on  the  2d  of  September, 
in  front  of  Chantilly.  The  movement  of  the  enemy  had 
become  so  developed  *  *  *  *  and  was  so  evidently 
directed  to  Fairfax  Court  House,  with  a  view  of  turning 
my  right,  that  I  made  the  necessary  disposition  to  fight  a 
battle  on  the  road  from  Centreville  to  Fairfax  Court  House. 
"Reno  was  to  push  forward  to  the  north  of  the  road  in 
the  direction  of  Chantilly,  Heintzelman's  corps  was  directed 
to  take  post  immediately  in  the  rear  of  Reno.  * 
Just  before  sunset  on  the  1st,  the  enemy  attacked  us  on 
our  right,  but  was  met  by  a  counter  attack  by  Hooker, 
McDowell,  Reno  and  Kearny's  division  of  Heintzelman's 
corps.  A  very  severe  action  occurred  in  the  midst  of  a  ter 
rific  thunder  storm,  and  was  terminated  shortly  after  dark. 
The  enemy  was  driven  back  entirely  from  our  front." 


THE   KEAKNY   PATCH. 

FTER  the  battle  of  Chantilly  the  army 
retired  to  the  defences  of  Washington. 
General  Birney  retained  the  command 
of  the  first  division  of  the  Third  Army 
Corps,  which  had  devolved  upon  him 
on  the  death  of  General  Kearny,  by 
right  of  seniority.  General  Kearny, 
before  his  death,  had  issued  an  order  requiring  the  officers 
and  men  under  his  command  to  wear  a  badge  or  mark, 
by  which  they  would  be  known  wherever  met.  This  badge 
was  a  piece  of  scarlet  cloth,  worn  on  the  cap  or  hat,  so 
as  to  be  visible  at  all  times.  This  way  the  first  attempt 
to  designate  officers  or  men  in  our  army  by  any  distinctive 
mark  or  badge.  The  evident  object  of  this  order  was  to 
individualize  the  members  of  this  division,  and  to  designate 
the  officers  and  men  should  they  lag  on  the  march  or 
straggle  in  action. 

General  Birney  and  liis  men  reached  the  defences  of 
Washington  after  a  tedious  march,  on  the  3d  of  September, 
1862.  On  the  next  day  he  issued  the  following  order: — 

HEADQUARTERS  KEARNY' s  DIVISION, 
FORT  LYON,  VA.,  Sept.  4,  1862. 

[GENERAL  ORDER,  No.  49.] 

The  Brigadier-general  commanding  this  division  announces 
with  deep  sorrow  the  dcatli  of  Major-general  Kearny,  its 

10  (73) 


74  DAVID     BELL    BIRNEY. 

gallant  commander.     He  died  on  the  battle-field  of  Chantilly 
as  his  division  was  driving  the  enemy  before  it. 

The  entire  country  will  mourn  the  loss  of  this  chivaLric 
soldier,  and  officers  and  men  of  this  division  will  ever  hold 
dear  his  memory. 

Let  us  show  our  regard  for  him  by  always  sustaining  the 
name  which,  in  his  love  for  the  division,  he  gave  it,  viz.: 
the  "  Fighting  Division." 

As  a  token  of  respect  for  his  memory,  all  the  officers  of 
this  division  will  wear  crape  on  the  left  arm  for  thirty  days, 
and  the  colors  and  drums  of  regiments  and  batteries  will  be 
placed  in  mourning  for  sixty  days.  To  still  further  show  our 
regard,  and  to  distinguish  his  officers  as  he  wished,  each 
officer  will  continue  to  wear  on  his  cap  a  piece  of  scarlet 
cloth,  or  have  the  top  or  crown-piece  of  the  cap  made  of 
scarlet  cloth. 

By  command  of  Brigadier-general  D.  B.  Birney. 

J.  B.  BROWN, 

Acting  Assistant  Adjutant-general. 

The  scarlet  patch  referred  to  in  the  foregoing  order  was 
soon  converted  into  a  piece  of  reef  cloth  or  flannel,  cut  in 
the  form  of  a  diamond,  and  this  for  some  time  was  known 
as  the  "  Kearny  patch."  After  General  Hooker  was  put  in 
command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  late  in  January, 
1863,  the  propriety  of  designating  the  officers  and  men  of 
each  corps  by  some  distinctive  mark  was  recognized  in  a 
general  order  from  headquarters,  and  since  that  time  each 
corps  has  had  its  badge;  the  first  division  of  the  corps  wear 
ing  it  in  red,  the  second  in  white,  and  the  third  in  blue. 


THE    KEARNY    PATCH.  75 

By  this  order,  which  at  first  affected  only  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  but  which  was  subsequently  confirmed  by  the  War 
Department,  and  extended  to  all  the  Union  armies  in  the 
field,  the  Third  Corps  badge  was  a  diamond,  and  the  first 
division  of  this  corps,  which  General  Birncy  commanded 
from  the  death  of  Kearny  until  the  middle  of  July,  1864, 
wore  a  red  diamond. 

When,  in  the  spring  of  1864,  the  Third  Corps  was  dis 
banded  and  its  divisions  annexed  to  other  army  corps,  Gen 
eral  Birney  was  fortunate  enough  to  procure  an  order  by 
which  his  division,  though  annexed  to  the  Second  Corps, 
as  the  third  division,  was  permitted  to  retain  the  Kearny 
red  patch;  and  throughout  the  campaign  of  1864,  and 
during  the  war,  the  officers  and  men  of  this  division, 
whether  in  camp,  in  hospital,  or  on  leave,  wear  this  badge, 
and  are  proud  of  it.  Let  any  one  converse  with  those 
who  wear  it,  and  he  will  find  in  their  hearts  as  noble  a 
monument  of  General  Birney  as  can  be  erected  to  his 
memory.  These  officers  and  men  followed  him  for  nearly 
two  years,  during  the  severest  trials  to  which  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  was  subjected,  and  they  are  always  ready  to 
communicate  to  any  stranger  their  appreciation  of  his  worth 
as  a  soldier,  and  as  a  man.  They  have,  under  his  lead, 
stormed  earth-works,  captured  fortifications,  and  have  often 
driven  the  rebel  forces  opposed  to  them  from  their  chosen 
positions.  Always  in  the  advance,  they  have  done  their 
whole  duty;  and  though  their  ranks  have  been  thinned  by 
the  cannon-ball,  the  musket,  the  bayonet  and  the  sabre  of 
the  enemy,  they  have  always  preserved  their  organization, 
and  have  ever  been  ready  to  march  or  to  fight,  as  occasion 


76  DAYID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

required.  The  writer  has  met  them  of  all  grades,  from  that 
of  brigadier-general  to  private.  They  all  bear  the  same  tes 
timony.  They  were  willing  to  serve  anywhere  under  Birney, 
and  to  undergo  privations  with  him;  for  they  have  felt  that 
he  loved  his  men,  and  would  not  order  them  where  he 
was  unwilling  to  go  himself.  These  men  are  the  sincere 
eulogists  of  Birney,  and,  while  their  hearts  beat,  his  fame 
will  never  die. 

When  the  division,  with  the  rest  of  the  army,  retired 
to  the  fortifications  of  Washington,  General  Birney  estab 
lished  his  headquarters  near  Fairfax  Seminary,  about  three 
miles  from  Alexandria.  He  occupied  the  residence  of  Bishop 
Johns,  the  Episcopal  Bishop  of  Virginia,  for  the  use  of  which 
he  paid  rent  to  the  agent  of  the  Bishop.  Instead  of  per 
mitting  his  men,  who  had  been  accustomed  to  the  most 
active  duties  of  a  soldier's  life,  to  remain  idle,  he  kept  them 
busily  engaged  in  throwing  up  earthworks  around  the  semi 
nary,  to  instruct  them  in  what  he  believed  would  be  an 
important  element  of  their  success  in  the  future.  The  expe 
rience  thus  gained  was  afterwards  of  great  advantage  to 
them  and  their  future  comrades,  though  the  works  them 
selves  were  of  little  value.  Besides  educating  the  men,  this 
employment  promoted  contentment,  and  accustomed  them  to 
endure  the  long  days  of  inactive  camp-life  which  they  subse 
quently  encountered. 

General  D.  E.  Sickles,  who  was  afterwards  in  command  of 
the  Third  Corps,  was  at  that  time  encamped  near  General 
Birney.  Though  these  men  subsequently  became  firm  friends, 
at  that  time  they  were  not  known  to  each  other  except 
officially.  One  Sunday  morning  General  Sickles  sent  over 


THE   KEARNY   PATCH.  77 

an  orderly  to  General  Birney  with  his  compliments,  asking 
the  loan  of  a  copy  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States. 
General  Birney  made  search  for  a  copy,  but  could  not  find 
it  among  the  Bishop's  works.  He  returned  word  accordingly, 
and  added,  that  he  found  a  great  many  editions  of  the 
Bible  in  all  languages  in  the  library,  and  if  General  Sickles 
wished  a  copy,  in  the  absence  of  the  Constitution,  he  should 
have  it  for  his  Sunday  reading.  The  orderly  did  not  return, 
and  it  is  fair  to  presume  that  on  the  day  in  question  Gen 
eral  Sickles  did  not  study  the  Constitution  or  the  Bible. 


FANCY   DUTY. 

,OON  after  General  Birney  returned  with  the 
division  from  Pope's  campaign  to  Fairfax  Semi 
nary,  a  gentleman  of  Philadelphia,  with  whom 
he  had  little  if  any  previous  acquaintance,  but 
who  brought  with  him  letters  and  endorsements 
from  the  leading  men  of  Pennsylvania,  applied  to  him  for  a 
position  on  his  staff  as  a  volunteer  aid.  As  General  Birney 
was  in  favor  of  all  men  serving  their  country,  and  espe 
cially  those  who  did  so  without  pay  and  paid  their  own 
expenses,  which  was  the  case  with  volunteer  aids,  he  took 
him  on  his  staff.  This  rule  he  observed  until  the  War 
Department  issued  an  order  abolishing  the  system  of  volun 
teer  aids  altogether,  and  the  result  was,  that  General  Birney 
was  never  at  a  loss  for  officers  to  perform  staff  duty.  The 
applications  to  go  on  his  staff  were  numerous,  and  he 
granted  them  all,  and  every  man  appointed  did  his  full  duty 
except  one,  who,  after  procuring  his  appointment,  in  1863, 
found  that  the  exigencies  of  his  business  compelled  him  to 
stay  at  home,  which  he  did.  Soon  after  the  gentleman 
referred  to  had  taken  his  place  on  the  staff,  an  enemy  of 
his,  who  held  an  official  position  in  Philadelphia  under 
the  Government,  wrote  to  the  War  Department  protesting 
against  allowing  such  men  to  hold  positions  as  staff  offi 
cers,  and  alleging  that  the  officer  in  question  was  not  fit 
for  his  duties  by  reason  of  his  sympathy  with  the  enemies 
(78) 


FANCY    DUTY.  79 

of  the  Government.  The  writer  of  the  letter  (whose  name 
and  letter  are  not  published  for  obvious  reasons)  referred  to 
certain  citizens  of  Philadelphia  to  corroborate  his  statements. 
This  letter  was  referred  to  General  Birney  by  the  War  De 
partment,  and  his  reply  was  as  fine  a  piece  of  epistolary 
writing  as  can  be  produced.  He  offered  to  make  an  in 
quiry  about  the  truth  of  the  allegations  of  the  accuser,  and 
on  doing  so  it  was  found  that  they  all  melted  away  like 
snow  before  the  summer's  sun. 

In  consequence  of  his  reply  to  the  War  Department,  as  he 
was  told  by  the  officer  who  had  its  organization,  he  was 
ordered  to  act  as  the  member  of  a  court  of  inquiry  in  Wash 
ington.  He  made  an  unsuccessful  effort  to  be  excused  from 
complying  with  the  order,  for  this  was  the  only  "fancy  duty" 
ever  assigned  to  him.  He  was  unable  to  obtain  relief,  being 
told  that  the  court  was  one  of  great  importance,  and  his 
letter  referred  to  had  convinced  the  Department  of  his  fit 
ness  for  the  duty,  which  would  not  interfere  with  his  field 
duties,  as  it  was  probable  the  army  would  be  quiet  during 
the  fall.  This,  however,  did  not  prove  to  be  the  case.  Soon 
after  his  appointment  as  a  member  of  the  court,  General 
Lee  began  his  movement  up  the  Shcnandoah  Valley,  which 
culminated  in  the  battle  of  Antietam.  The  army  under 
General  McClellan  moved  to  meet  him.  The  Third  Corps 
remained  for  some  time  in  the  defences  of  Washington,  but 
eventually  moved;  and,  Birney  being  unable  to  get  relief 
from  the  court,  General  Stoneman  was  assigned  to  the  com 
mand  of  the  division,  on  September  15,  1862,  and  moved 
up  the  Potomac.  This  irritated  Birney  beyond  measure. 
He  wanted  to  be  in  the  field  whenever  active  campaigning 


80  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

was  going  on,  and  could  not  content  himself  with  other 
duties.  As  soon  as  the  division  moved,  leaving  him  behind, 
he  sent  in  his  resignation,  and  put  it  in  the  hands  of 
Secretary  Chase,  hoping  thus  to  have  it  accepted  at  the 
earliest  possible  moment.  In  this,  however,  he  was  mis 
taken,  for  the  Secretary  wrote  him  as  follows : — 

WASHINGTON,  September  15,  18G2. 

MY  DEAR  GENERAL: — I  shall  not  present  your  resignation 
until  I  have  seen  you  and  you  insist  upon  it.  I  will  try  to 
visit  you  to-morrow.  If  I  cannot,  you  must  call  on  me  the 
next  day.  We  cannot  spare  our  truest  men. 

Yours,  truly, 

S.  P.  CHASE. 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL  BIRNEY. 

This  letter  and  the  remonstrance  of  friends  had  its  effect. 
General  Birney  withdrew  the  resignation,  and  the  Secretary 
returned  it  with  the  following  note : — 

WASHINGTON,  September  20,  1862. 

DEAR  GENERAL: — I  enclose  to  you  with  great  pleasure 
your  resignation. 

It  is  still  my  hope  to  visit  your  camp.  Should  you  come 
to  the  city  I  shall  be  glad  to  see  you. 

Wishing  and  expecting  for  you  a  brilliant  and  successful 

career, 

I  remain  sincerely  yours, 

S.  P.  CHASE. 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL  D.  B.  BIRNEY. 


A    PEESENTATIOK 


(T  this  period  of  his  career  the  friends 
of  General  Birney,  stimulated  by  what 
they  considered  his  success  at  Chan- 
tilly,  raised  in  Philadelphia  a  subscrip 
tion  to  a  testimonial  for  his  use.  The 
subscriptions  in  a  few  hours  amounted 
to  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  with  only 
sixty  names.  They  were  then  reduced  to  ten  dollars,  and 
in  a  few  days  they  comprised  about  one  hundred  and  twenty 
of  the  leading  men  of  the  city,  whose  names  will  be  found 
in  the  Appendix.  When  the  fund  was  raised,  the  contri 
butors,  at  a  meeting  held  September  22,  1862,  resolved  to 
purchase  a  horse,  equipments  and  a  sword.  The  orders  were 
given,  and  the  testimonial  was  ready  for  transmission  in  a 
few  weeks.  The  articles  being  procured  were  forwarded 
with  the  following  letter: — 

PHILADELPHIA,  October  30,  1862. 

GENERAL  D.  B.  BIRNEY: 

DEAR  SIR: — We  have  been  requested  by  a  number  of 
your  fellow-citizens  to  present  you,  in  their  behalf,  the 
horse,  equipments,  and  sword  which  will  be  handed  to  you 
with  this  note.  They  are  intended  as  a  testimonial  of  the 
estimation  in  which  your  services  in  the  field  are  held,  and 
we  hope  that  they  will  not  only  prove  useful  to  you  in  the 

ll  (81) 


82  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

discharge  of  your  duty  in  future,  but  will  serve  to  remind 
you  that  we  have  attentively  watched  your  career  and  ap 
prove  of  the  course  you  have  pursued. 

When  we  first  took  leave  of  you  in  April,  1861,  and 
wished  you  success  in  your  efforts  to  aid  in  sustaining  the 
laws  of  the  land,  we  did  not  think  you  would  be  compelled 
to  make  the  sacrifices  you  have  made,  or  to  encounter  the 
privations  you  have  endured,  and  hoped  that,  with  your  fel 
low-soldiers,  you  would  soon  return  to  your  usual  avocations. 
As  the  rebellion  gradually  assumed  the  proportions  of  the 
most  formidable  civil  war  in  which  any  nation  has  ever 
been  engaged,  in  common  Avith  others  we  awaited  with 
anxiety  the  selection  to  be  made  from  the  army  of  the  men 
who  were  to  lead  our  soldiers  in  the  field. 

Knowing  the  natural  energy  of  your  character,  and  that 
you  had  determined  to  devote  yourself  to  your  new  profes 
sion,  to  the  exclusion  of  every  thing  else,  we  were  not 
surprised  when  the  Government  called  you  from  the  ranks 
to  take  command.  We  believed  the  selection  well  made, 
and  were  gratified  when  subsequent  events  proved  that  the 
confidence  reposed  in  you  had  not  been  misplaced.  Your 
conduct  at  Yorktown,  Williamsburg,  Fair  Oaks,  Malvern 
Hill,  in  the  battles  of  the  seven  days,  and  at  Centreville, 
has  amply  proved  this,  though  in  the  chances  of  war  you 
were,  after  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  subjected  to  an  ordeal 
trying  to  every  soldier,  but  which  resulted  in  your  complete 
justification,  and  proved  that  your  readiness  to  obey  is  equal 
to  your  ability  to  command. 

We  need  hardly  add  that  the  part  you  took  at  Chantilly 
gave  us  additional  gratification.  It  was  under  your  com- 


A    PRESENTATION.  83 

mand  that  the  battle  was  won,  and  a  large  train  and  stores 
were  saved,  which,  but  for  the  success  on  September  1st, 
would  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  and  the 
retreat  of  our  division  intercepted.  We  have  fully  counted 
the  cost  to  the  Government  of  a  reverse  in  the  engagement, 
and,  in  forwarding  the  accompanying  testimonial,  do  all  in 
our  power  to  recognize  your  services  and  urge  you  to  re 
newed  exertions  in  the  future. 

o.  w.  DAVIS, 

A.  D.  JESSUP, 
JOSEPH  F.  TOBIAS, 

EDWARD  J.  MAGIHKES, 

Committee. 
JNO.  H.  CHAMBERS, 

C.  II.  CLARK, 

L.  J.  LEBERMAN, 

GEORGE  BULLOCK. 

General  Birney  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  the  testimo 
nial  as  foil ows : — 

CAMP  ON  RAFPATTAreyocg  RIVER, 

November  1,  1862. 
To  Messrs.  0.  W.  DAVIS,  A.  D.  JESSUP, 

JOSEPH  F.  TOBIAS  and  others : 

GENTLEMEN  : — Permit  me  to  heartily  thank  my  friends  and 
the  citizens  of  Philadelphia  who  have,  through  you,  in  such 
flattering  terms,  presented  to  me  the  noble  horse,  handsome 
equipments  and  superb  sword,  received  with  your  note.  My 
brigade  feels  that  the  compliment  to  its  commander  is  also 
to  it,  and  have  greatly  admired  the  gift. 

To  my  brigade  has  been  awarded  by  the  Military  Com 
mission  appointed  by  the  General-in-chief,  the  proud  privilege 
of  wearing  on  its  banners  the  names  "  Williamsburg,  Fair 
Oaks,  Orchards,  Glendale,  Malvern,  Manassas  and  Chantilly." 
It  was  our  good  fortune  to  have  been  engaged  in  all  these 
actions,  and  in  ah1  were  successful. 


84  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

I  trust,  gentlemen,  when  this  unnatural  rebellion  has  been 
crushed  by  the  use  of  all  the  means  that  a  gallant  and 
free  nation  can  use,  and  the  army  of  volunteers  return  to 
peaceful  pursuits,  you  will  be  able  to  say  that  your  sword 
was  not  presented  in  vain.  I  shall  continue  my  efforts  to 
sustain  the  Constitution,  encouraged  by  your  handsome  testi 
monial  and  kind  words,  and  shall  try  to  equal  your  expecta 
tions  and  prove  that  I  am  worthy  of  a  city  that  has  given  so 
liberally  of  her  men  and  treasure  to  sustain  the  Government. 

So  long  as  it  is  in  my  power  to  render  service  in  the 
field,  in  whatever  position  I  am  placed,  under  whatever 
general  or  rule  I  may  be,  I  shall  continue  to  struggle  for  the 
unity  of  our  people,^  the  supremacy  of  our  laws ;  and  hope 
the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  the  good  old  flag  will 
again  wave  from  gulf  to  lake,  and  from  ocean  to  ocean.  I 
have  never  been  so  hopeful  of  the  success  of  our  army  as  now. 
Your  obedient  servant, 

D.  B.  BIRNEY. 

The  equipments  were  worn  out  by  hard  service,  and  the 
horse  was  in  the  same  condition  when  General  Birney  died, 
but  he  has  since  recovered  by  kind  treatment.  The  family 
presented  him  to  a  friend,  who  has  had  him  treated  with  the 
tenderest  care,  and  prizes  him  beyond  any  price  which  could 
be  offered  for  him.  He  will  never  be  sold  or  bartered 
away,  but  kept  as  a  memorial  of  his  deceased  master,  and 
respected  as  a  veteran  who  has  taken  part  in  the  battles 
of  Fredericksburg,  Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  and  the  cam 
paigns  under  General  Grant.  The  sword  and  its  service 
and  dress-scabbards  are  fine  specimens  of  the  handiwork  of 
the  artizan,  and  are  prized  by  the  family  beyond  description. 


IN   THE    FIELD. 


the   Court  of 
adjourned,  General  Birney  was  ordered 

to  the  command  of  his  old  brigade. 
This  order  he  willingly  obeyed,  and 
mounting  his  horse  rode  seventy  miles 
to  join  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  On 
November  16,  1862,  the  day  that  Gen 

eral  Burnside  assumed  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac,  General  Birney  reached  his  old  brigade  and  was  ready 
to  resume  its  command.  But  a  day  or  two  previous  to  his 
arrival  General  Stoneman  had  been  assigned  to  the  Third 
Army  Corps,  thus  leaving  the  old  division  vacant,  to  which 
he  was  assigned,  and  immediately  took  command.  From 
that  day  until  about  the  middle  of  July,  1864,  when  he  was 
ordered  by  General  Grant  to  command  the  Tenth  Army 
Corps,  he  retained  command  of  this  division,  except  at  inter 
vals  during  the  temporary  absence  of  the  commander  of  the 
Third  Corps.  This  command  he  preferred  to  any  which 
could  be  assigned  him,  and  between  him  and  the  gallant 
and  dashing  Stoneman,  relations  of  the  most  agreeable  char 
acter  were  soon  established,  which  continued  to  the  time  of 
General  Birney's  death. 

Soon  after  he  resumed  command  of  his  division  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  moved  under  General  Burnside  towards  Fal- 

(85) 


86  DAVID    BELL    BIKNEY. 

mouth,  where  they  remained  until  the  early  part  of  ther 
spring  of  1863,  when  they  followed  Lee  into  Pennsylvania, 
and  won  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  Until  December  13,  1862, 
General  Birney  was  constantly  engaged  with  the  reorganiza 
tion  and  discipline  of  his  division,  never  leaving  it  for  a  day 
on  any  pretext  whatever.  His  efforts  here,  and  his  previous 
efforts  during  the  fall,  while  near  Fairfax  Seminary,  were 
amply  rewarded  when  the  division  was  called  into  action. 
At  Fredericksburg  and  Chancellorsville,  the  division  won  for 
itself  honors  that  will  remain  fresh  so  long  as  the  history  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  is  remembered. 

During  this  period  General  Birney  started  in  his  division 
the  organization,  eventually  known  as  "The  Third  Corps 
Union,"  of  which  more  will  be  said  hereafter.  The  "Union" 
was  not  dissolved  when  the  Third  Corps  was  broken  up, 
but  will  probably  be  continued  as  a  means  of  reviving  the 
memories  of  the  past  so  long  as  any  of  its  members  are  alive. 


THE    BATTLE    OF   FBEDEKICKSBUKG. 

HE  writer  approaches  with  pleasure  the  re 
cital  of  the  part  taken  by  General  Birney 
in  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg.  His  con 
duct  in  that  action  has  been  severely 
commented  upon  by  those  who  have 
attempted  to  make  him  the  scape-goat  of 
their  failure.  General  Burnside  has  not 
yet  (May,  1865)  made  his  official  report  of  this  action,  but 
his  testimony  before  the  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of  the 
War,  and  that  of  General  Franklin,  who  commanded  the 
left  wing  of  the  army;  that  of  General  Reynolds,  who  com 
manded  the  First  Corps  of  this  wing,  to  whom  General 
Birney  reported  directly;  and  the  official  reports  of  General 
Stoneman  and  General  Birney,  furnish  ample  material  to 
describe  with  impartiality  the  movements  of  General  Birney 
and  his  division.  Even  the  testimony,  before  the  Committee 
on  the  Conduct  of  the  War,  of  the  present  commander  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  does  not,  except  by  implication, 
condemn  General  Birney.  He  says,  it  is  true,  that  three 
times  he  sent  back  to  General  Birney — twice  a  request  and 
the  third  time  a  command — for  him  to  advance  to  his  sup 
port  ;  while  General  Birney  testifies  that  he  received  but  one 
request,  and  referred  the  staff  officer  to  General  Reynolds, 
who  was  in  command  of  the  corps,  of  which  both  Mcade's 

(87) 


88  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

and  Birney's  divisions  formed  a  part — General  Reynolds 
at  the  time  being  on  the  field  and  within  a  short  distance 
of  General  Birney  and  staif,  who  were  then  executing  an 
order  which  had  been  issued  by  General  Eeynolds  a  few 
moments  before.  Before  any  answer  was  returned  from 
General  Reynolds,  General  Birney  saw  that  Meade's  troops 
were  beginning  to  fall  back,  and  without  waiting  for  a  revo 
cation  or  modification  of  the  order  which  he  was  obeying, 
when  General  Meade's  condition  became  known  to  him,  he 
at  once  ordered  up  four  regiments,  under  General  "Ward, 
to  support  General  Meade.  While  these  regiments  were 
moving  forward,  he  rode  up  to  General  Reynolds  and  asked 
permission  to  bring  up  his  batteries.  This  permission  was 
granted,  and  the  batteries  were  placed  so  as  to  cover  the 
movement  of  General  Meade,  whose  troops  were  pursued 
so  closely  that  the  enemy  (part  of  Early's  division)  came 
within  fifty  yards  of  General  Birney's  guns.  General  Birney 
then  opened  upon  them  and  drove  them  back.  This  posi 
tion  General  Birney  held  until  eleven  o'clock  on  Monday 
night,  the  15th  of  December,  when  he  received  orders  from 
General  Stoneman,  who  had  by  that  time  resumed  the  com 
mand  of  his  corps,  to  retire  across  the  Rappahannock  river, 
which  he  did. 

Let  us  follow  General  Birney's  movements  critically,  and 
see  whether  it  was  in  the  power  of  any  one  to  do  more 
than  he  did.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  had,  for  three  months,  been  taunted  by  the  press  of 
the  country  with  its  failure  to  prevent  Lee  from  recrossing 
the  Potomac,  and  for  three  months  the  men  had  been  inac 
tive.  It  is  natural  to  suppose  that  they  partook  of  the 


THE    BATTLE    OF    FREDERICKSBURG.  89 

feeling  of  their  new  commander,  General  Burnside,  and  were 
anxious  to  be  led  against  the  enemy. 

Preparatory  to  this  movement,  a  new  organization  of  the 
army  had  been  effected.  The  brigades,  divisions  and  corps 
remained  as  heretofore,  but  the  army  itself  was  divided  into 
three  grand  divisions,  the  right  commanded  by  General  Sum- 
ncr,  the  centre  by  General  Hooker,  and  the  left  by  General 
Franklin.  The  Third  Corps  was  part  of  the  centre  division, 
under  General  Hooker,  and  was  encamped  near  Falmouth, 
opposite  Fredericksburg. 

During  the  night  of  Friday,  December  12,  1862,  General 
Birney  received  orders  from  General  Stoneman  to  move  his 
division  to  the  Rappahannock,  and  be  ready  to  cross  on  the 
bridges  constructed  by  General  Franklin.  This  he  did  with 
out  delay,  and  at  two,  A.  M.,  the  division  was  at  the  bridges 
awaiting  orders.  At  ten,  A.  M.,  he  received  written  orders 
from  General  Stoneman  to  cross  the  division,  and  proceed  to 
the  left  and  report  for  orders  to  General  Reynolds.  This 
he  did  by  eleven  o'clock,  and  was  told  by  him  that  General 
Mcade  was  to  begin  the  attack,  and  Birney  was  ordered  to 
deploy  his  division  in  the  rear  of  General  Meade's.  The 
field  in  which  he  was  directed  to  take  position  was  separated 
from  the  road  by  a  high  embankment,  and  a  ditch  next  to 
the  road,  about  six  feet  deep.  Over  this  ditch  and  through 
this  embankment  were  two  narrow  wagon-ways,  along  which 
a  regiment  could  only  be  moved  by  the  flank.  The  right 
was  occupied  by  Ward's  brigade,  the  left  by  Berry's,  and 
Robinson's  coming  up  last,  was  kept  in  reserve,  the  men 
being  deployed  in  two  lines.  As  soon  as  the  division  took 
position,  the  enemy  opened  upon  it  from  a  number  of 

12 


90  DAVID   BELL   B1RNEY. 

batteries,  which  commanded  this  open  field,  and  the  fire 
was  very  destructive.  General  Reynolds,  commanding  the 
corps,  who  was  near  General  Birney,  personally  ordered  him 
to  retire  his  men  behind  the  embankment.  Before  this 
movement  was  half  completed,  General  Birney  received  word 
from  General  Meade  that  his  men  were  severely  pressed, 
and  he  needed  assistance.  General  Birney,  as  has  been 
said,  pointed  to  General  Reynolds,  who  was  near  by,  and 
said  that  he  would  advance  as  soon  as  he  received  an  order. 

As  the  officer  left  him  he  saw  that  General  Meade's 
troops  were  commencing  to  fall  back.  He  "immediately" 
and  without  waiting  for  an  order,  reversed  the  movement 
of  Ward's  brigade,  placing  the  Ninety-ninth  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  Colonel  Leidy,  the  Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  Colonel  Campbell,  and  the  Fifty-fifth  New  York 
volunteers,  Colonel  (now  Brigadier-general)  De  Trobriand,  in 
support  of  General  Meade's  batteries,  and  ordered  forward 
the  Thirty-eighth  and  Fortieth  New  York,  and  the  Fourth 
Maine  volunteers  to  the  support  of  the  troops  in  the  front, 
and  this  order  was  executed  at  the  "  double  quick." 

Berry's  brigade  was  ordered  to  resume  its  position  on 
the  left,  in  the  field  from  which  the  men  were  moving, 
and  this  was  done  without  delay.  Seeing  that  General 
Meade's  batteries  had  exhausted  their  ammunition,  Birney 
ordered  up  Randolph's  and  Livingston's,  the  only  two  in 
his  command,  which  immediately  went  into  action  under 
Captain  Randolph,  of  the  Rhode  Island  artillery,  and  Chief 
of  Artillery  of  the  division.  He  then  ordered  Colonel 
Campbell,  of  the  Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  to 
again  advance  and  report  to  General  Meade,  and  the  Third 


THE   BATTLE   OF   FREDERICKSBURG.  91 

Maine  and  Fifty-fifth  New  York  volunteers    to  the  support 
of  one  of  Gibbon's  batteries  on  his  right. 

The  enemy  pressed  General  Meade's  men  and  were  in  full 
force  on  General  Birney's  front,  with  a  brigade  deployed  in 
line  and  one  doubled  on  the  centre  on  each  flank.  This 
was  part  of  the  rebel  Early 's  division,  and  the  movement 
was  intended  to  take  the  four  batteries  on  the  crest  of  the 
hill,  two  belonging  to  General  Birney's  division  and  two 
which  had  been  posted  there  by  General" Meade,  of  which 
General  Birney  had  assumed  the  command.  While  the 
enemy  was  making  his  dispositions,  General  Birney  was  not 
idle.  By  his  order  General  Berry  brought  up  a  part  of 
his  brigade  and  extended  to  the  right,  to  the  point  occupied 
by  General  Gibbon's  batteries.  These  having  withdrawn, 
the  Ninety-ninth  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  Third  Maine  and 
Fifty-fifth  New  York  volunteers,  formed  the  extreme  right, 
the  remainder  of  General  Ward's  brigade  being  in  advance 
of  this  line.  Then  the  contest  became  exciting.  The 
rebels,  flushed  by  their  success  in  driving  back  General 
Meade's  men,  rushed  forward  to  a  second  victory.  Captain 
Randolph  kept  his  guns  quiet  until  the  rebels  were  within 
fifty  yards,  and  then  opened  on  them  with  canister.  Still 
they  were  not  repulsed,  until  General  Berry,  whose  men 
bore  the  brunt  of  the  attack,  poured  a  galling  fire  into  the 
ranks  of  the  approaching  enemy,  and  aided  by  the  oblique 
fire  from  that  part  of  Ward's  brigade  which  was  on  the 
extreme  right,  soon  stopped  the  advance.  Never  were  Bir 
ney's  men  more  resolute  than  on  that  day.  The  officers 
of  the  division  saw  that  it  was  part  of  the  rebel  plan  to 
mass  their  troops  at  this  point  of  our  line,  and  to  force 


92  DAVID   BELL   BIRNEY. 

their  way  to  the  bridges  over  which  General  Birney  had 
that  morning  crossed  his  men.  Had  this  movement  been 
successful,  the  rest  of  our  line  would  have  been  flanked, 
and  one  of  the  crossings  of  the  river  lost  to  our  army. 
But  no  such  disaster  occurred,  for  Birney's  men  stood  firm, 
and  though  their  ranks  were  thinned  by  the  fire  of  the 
enemy,  there  was  no  disorder  or  retreat.  By  one  o'clock 
the  enemy  began  to  fall  back,  when  General  Robinson 
arrived,  and  the  One-hundred-and-fourteenth  and  Sixty-fifth 
Pennsylvania  volunteers  came  immediately  to  the  front  and 
hastened  the  retreat  of  the  enemy  by  an  effective  and 
galling  fire. 

This  work  being  accomplished,  General  Birney  received 
an  order  from  General  Reynolds  to  hold  the  crest  of  the 
hill,  as  the  enemy  were  making  an  effort  to  get  through 
the  line  to  attack  General  Doubleday's  division,  which  was 
on  Birney's  left,  and  forming  an  angle,  connecting  with  the 
Rappahannock.  General  Birney  immediately  made  a  new 
disposition  of  his  troops;  Berry's  brigade  being  on  the  left, 
Robinson's  in  the  centre,  and  Ward's  on  the  right,  with 
four  batteries  on  the  crest  of  the  hill,  two  being  those  of 
General  Birney's  command  already  mentioned,  and  two 
which  had  been  sent  by  General  Reynolds  as  reinforce 
ments,  under  Captains  Cooper  and  Lefevre. 

The  enemy  were  within  three  hundred  yards,  sheltered 
by  woods,  the  railroad  embankment,  rifle-pits  and  ditches, 
in  Birney's  front.  As  this  proximity  was  not  desirable, 
General  Birney,  about  three  o'clock,  sent  out  a  line  of  skir 
mishers  to  capture  a  ditch  running  parallel  with  his  front. 
This  order  was  gallantly  executed,  and  some  sixty  prisoners 


THE   BATTLE   OF   FREDERICKSBURG.  93 

taken.  Preparations  were  in  progress  for  similar  move 
ments,  but  at  half  past  four  o'clock,  the  enemy,  uncovering 
ten  guns  on  a  hill  opposite  the  left  of  his  line,  opened  a 
deadly  fire  on  Doubleday's  division.  These  were  soon  re 
plied  to,  and  in  less  than  thirty  minutes  silenced  by  the 
fire  of  the  two  division  batteries  and  that  of  Captain  Le- 
fevre.  The  enemy  then  opened  upon  the  left  a  battery  of 
Whitworth  guns,  but  night  soon  threw  her  mantie  over  the 
scene  and  put  an  end  to  the  fierce  combat. 

This  was  the  work  which  Birney's  men  performed  on 
Saturday,  the  13th  of  December,  1862,  though  they  began 
their  march  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  that  day. 
Such  was  the  service  they  rendered  the  country  on  the  first 
day  of  the  memorable  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  which  was 
not  a  defeat  at  this  part  of  the  line.  Colonel  Campbell,  of 
the  Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  went  into  action 
with  his  arm  in  a  sling,  still  suffering  from  a  wound  he 
had  received  at  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks  on  May  31,  1862, 
and  paid  the  penalty  of  his  heroism  by  another  wound  from 
a  rebel  bullet,  which  felled  him  to  the  ground  and  unfitted 
him  for  service  for  many  long  months.  So  great  was  the 
loss  of  the  division  that  General  Birney  asked  for  a  new 
regiment  to  replace  it,  and  for  the  consolidation  of  the  old 
regiments,  whose  ranks  had  been  so  thinned  as  to  reduce 
them  far  below  the  minimum. 

The  following  description  is  from  a  private  letter,  written 
by  an  eye-witness,  which  found  its  way,  in  the  latter  part 
of  December,  1862,  into  the  columns  of  the  "  Courrier  des 
Etats  Unis" 

"  The  much-regretted  General  Kearny  could  not  have  had 


94  DAVID  BELL  BIRNEY. 

a  worthier  successor  than  the  brilliant  General  Birncy,  the 
present  commander  of  the  division.  Under  his  orders  the 
troops  have  rivalled  each  other  in  dash  and  intrepidity  to 
sustain  the  reputation  of  a  corps  which  had  already  so 
greatly  distinguished  itself  on  the  several  fields  of  battle. 
But  no  brigade  had  as  great  a  task  as  the  second,  com 
manded  by  General  Hobart  Ward. 

"After  the  division  had  crossed  the  Eappahannock  to 
reinforce  the  grand  division  of  the  left,  (General  Frank 
lin's,)  we  were  immediately  led  upon  an  intermediate  point 
between  the  division  of  Pennsylvania  Reserves  (Meade's) 
and  Gibbon's  division,  who  were  actually  engaged  with  the 
enemy,  trying  to  dislodge  him  from  a  formidable  position, 
which  was  covered  by  the  artillery  and  defended  by  three 
rows  of  rifle-pits  raised  above  each  other  on  the  sward,  and 
in  the  woods. 

"After  an  obstinate  contest,  these  two  divisions,  repulsed 
with  loss,  recoiled  across  the  plain,  leaving  Birney's  division 
the  only  one  in  line  of  battle,  unsupported  on  the  right, 
and  attacked  on  the  left. 

"This  perilous  position,  far  from  intimidating  our  veterans, 
rather  seemed  to  inflame  their  ardor.  General  Ward,  at  the 
head  of  four  regiments — the  Thirty-eighth  and  Fortieth  New 
York,  the  Fourth  Maine,  and  the  Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania 
— threw  himself  forward  to  meet  the  foe,  and,  supported  by 
a  part  of  Berry's  brigade,  crushed  back  the  rebels  to  their 
intrenchmcnts. 

"To  give  an  idea  of  the  obstinate  fury  of  the  fight  at 
this  point,  it  is  only  necessary  to  say  that  the  four  regi 
ments  which  I  have  just  mentioned  each  lost  more  than 


THE   BATTLE   OF   FREDERICKSBURG.  95 

one-third  of  its  complement,  and  number  among  the  killed 
and  wounded  two  colonels  and  two  majors. 

"During  this  time  the  three  regiments  on  the  right,  the 
Fifth-fifth  New  York,  the  Third  Maine  and  the  Ninety-ninth 
Pennsylvania,  had  remained  under  orders  to  cover  and  de 
fend  a  battery  of  artillery,  which  was  in  a  position  so 
exposed  that,  being  threatened  both  in  front  and  on  the 
flank,  the  artillerymen  would  have  been  soon  obliged  to 
withdraw  their  pieces  to  the  rear.  Colonel  De  Trobriand, 
of  the  Fifty-fifth  New  York,  on  whom  the  command  of  the 
three  regiments  had  fallen,  while  General  Ward  bravely 
conducted  the  three  others  to  the  attack  on  the  left,  main 
tained  his  line  of  battle,  even  after  the  retreat  of  the  bat 
tery;  and  being  covered  by  a  line  of  riflemen,  kept  the 
enemy  busy  enough  to  oblige  him  to  remain  at  a  distance, 
and  finally  to  find  shelter  in  the  wood.  Thanks  to  the  pre 
caution  taken  in  making  the  men  lie  down  in  the  furrows, 
the  losses  have  been  relatively  inconsiderable  in  that  quarter, 
although  projectiles  of  every  kind  had  full  play  among  them. 

"After  the  battle,  which  had,  nevertheless,  cost  him  so 
much  in  officers  and  men,  General  Birney  was  not  relieved 
from  liis  post  on  the  field.  The  whole  division  remained 
two  days  and  nights  deployed  near  the  enemy,  who  did  not 
attempt  to  force  it  back  any  further.  And  we  only  left  our 
position  on  Monday  night,  to  recross  the  river." 

After  dark  General  Reynolds  personally  ordered  General 
Birney  to  remain  in  command  of  that  line,  and  hold  the 
position  he  then  occupied  until  further  orders.  This  he 
did,  and  the  tired  regiments  of  the  division,  with  fixed 
bayonets  and  loaded  guns,  awaited  the  return  of  the  enemy 


96  DAVID    BELL    BIENEY. 

they  had  so  successfully  repulsed — all  that  night,  all  Sun 
day  and  Sunday  night,  all  Monday  and  until  Monday  night 
at  eleven  o'clock,  when,  under  orders  from  General  Stone- 
man,  who  had  resumed  command  of  the  Third  Corps,  they 
returned  to  their  camp  across  the  Rappahannock,  having 
lost  in  killed  and  wounded  nine  hundred  and  sixty-one  out 
of  seven  thousand  men.  During  their  absence  from  camp, 
from  two,  A.  M.,  of  Saturday,  the  13th,  until  eleven,  P.  M., 
of  Monday,  the  15th  of  December,  both  officers  and  men 
were  without  blankets.  From  Saturday  at  eleven  until  dark 
they  were  in  action,  and  on  Sunday  and  Monday  they  were 
exposed  to  the  fire  of  sharp-shooters  and  pickets  until  late 
on  Monday  afternoon,  when,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  rebel 
General  Ewell,  an  informal  arrangement  was  made,  in  pur 
suance  of  which  this  mode  of  fighting  ceased. 

In  his  report  of  this  action,  the  rebel  General  Lee  says 
that  at  no  part  of  his  line  were  his  men  driven  from  the 
ground  they  had  captured  from  our  troops,  except  at  the 
point  where  Birney's  division  drove  back  Early's  division 
of  Swell's  corps. 

So  much  for  the  facts  and  the  testimony  of  an  enemy.  Now 
let  us  call  disinterested  witnesses,  and  hear  their  testimony. 
Up  to  May,  1865,  General  Burnside's  official  report  of  this 
battle  has  not  been  made  to  the  Adjutant-general  at  Wash 
ington,  and  the  only  official  reports  to  which  the  writer  has 
had  access  are  those  of  which  copies  were  sent  him  at  the 
time,  and  which  the  Adjutant-general  of  the  United  States 
army  has  permitted  to  be  published.  In  part  first  of  the  re 
port  of  the  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of  the  War  can  be 
found  the  testimony,  before  the  Committee,  of  General  Burn- 


THE    BATTLE    OF    FREDERICKSBURG.  91 

side,  who  commanded  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  at  that 
time;  of  General  Franklin,  who  commanded  the  left  grand 
division;  of  General  Reynolds,  who  commanded  a  corps  in 
that  grand  division,  to  whom  General  Birney  reported  during 
the  battle,  and  of  General  Meadc.  Added  to  this  is  the 
official  report  of  General  Stoncman,  who  commanded  the 
corps  of  which  General  Birney's  division  was  a  part. 

By  examining  these  critically  the  following  result  is  ob 
tained  :  General  Burnside,  in  his  testimony,  says  not  one 
word  about  General  Birney  or  the  movements  of  his  divi 
sion.  General  Franklin  says  that  after  receiving  a  tele 
gram  from  General  Burnside,  dated  December  13th,  5.55 
A.  M.,  but  received  by  him  about  7.30  A.  M.,  he  directed 
General  Reynolds  to  carry  out  so  much  of  the  order  as  re 
lated  to  the  attack  with  one  division,  and  General  Meade, 
who  commanded  the  division  composed  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Reserves,  was  ordered  to  make  the  attack.  lie  was  soon  in 
motion,  General  Gibbon's  division  supporting  him  on  the 
right,  and  General  Doubleday's  division  being  held  in  re 
serve.  General  Meade  began  to  move  on  December  13th 
before  eight  o'clock  A.  M.,  supported  as  has  been  stated. 
The  divisions  of  Birney,  Sickles  and  Newton  were  subse 
quently  ordered  up,  and,  as  General  Franklin  testifies,  it 
required  at  least  four  or  five  hours  to  bring  these  divisions 
into  position  so  as  to  render  assistance.  It  is  not  surprising 
that  General  Birney  was  not  on  the  ground  at  eight  o'clock, 
when  General  Meade  began  his  movement,  as  he  did  not 
receive  until  ten  o'clock  of  that  day  the  order  from  General 
Stoncman  to  advance  and  report  to  General  Reynolds.  On 
receipt  of  this  order  his  division  crossed  the  river  and  re- 

13 


98  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

ported  to  General  Reynolds  by  eleven  o'clock ;  making  in 
one  hour  the  movement  which  General  Franklin  testifies 
"would  have  taken  from  three  to  five  hours." 

When  the  movement  of  General  Meade  began,  a  large  force 
of  the  enemy  was  on  his  extreme  left,  and  in  such  a  position 
that  they  could  fire  into  Meade's  rear  as  he  advanced.  "  Gen 
eral  Reynolds  stopped  Meade,  and  sent  Doubleday's  division 
to  drive  off  the  enemy.  While  he  was  stopped,  and  Double- 
day  was  advancing,  I  (General  Franklin)  sent  for  one  of 
General  Stoneman's  divisions,  which  was  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river  at  the  bridges.  This  division — General  Bir- 
ney's — I  (General  Franklin)  sent  an  aide-de-camp  to  direct 
to  report  to  General  Reynolds.  General  Birney  did  so 
report,  but  before  he  got  up  General  Meade  had  advanced 
into  the  woods.  He  had  a  severe  fight  with  the  enemy, 
and  drove  them  so  that  his  men  were  on  the  crown  of  the 
hill,  when  they  were  attacked  by  an  immensely  superior 
force  and  driven  back." 

"By  this  time  two  regiments  of  Birney's  division  had 
arrived  on  the  field,  and  General  Reynolds  immediately  put 
them  in.  They  were  also  driven  back,  and  it  was  not 
until  the  main  body  of  Birney's  division  came  up  that 
they  were  able  to  retrieve  themselves,  so  as  to  hold  any 
part  of  the  woods." 

General  Reynolds  testifies  that  the  attacking  force  under 
General  Meade  did  not  reach  the  point  which  it  was  de 
sired  they  should  take  and  hold.  "  They  were  a  little  short 
of  it."  Had  that  point  been  taken  and  held,  the  enemy 
would  have  been  obliged  to  vacate  their  position.  When 
asked  whether  General  Meade  sent  to  him  at  any  time  for 


THE    BATTLE    OF    FREDERICKSBURG.  99 

help,  he  said  that  General  Mcaclc  did  send  word  "  to  say 
that  Gibbon  was  not  advancing  on  his  right."  He  further 
says,  "  I  sent  Gibbon  orders,  and  also  went  over  myself 
and  urged  him  on.  I  sent  two  aides-de-camp,  and  they 
were  with  him  doing  the  best  they  could  to  help  him  on. 
They  did  not  advance  so  vigorously  as  they  should  have 
done,  I  think."  When  speaking  of  Birney,  he  says  that 
his  and  Sickles'  divisions  "must  have  commenced  crossing 

o 

(the  river)  before  Meade  made  his  attack,"  but  he  did  not 
know  whether  they  had  crossed  before  the  attack  was  made. 
He  nowhere  censures  Birney  for  not  having  been  up  in 
time. 

General  Meade,  in  his  testimony,  says  that  "  General  Bir 
ney  did  come  up  just  in  time  for  me  (General  Meade)  to 
get  the  men  out,  and  prevent  the  enemy  from  following  any 
further  than  the  edge- of  the  woods  in  front  of  the  batteries." 
He  also  says,  "The  division  of  General  Birney  I  think 
might  have  come  up  sooner  than  it  did."  In  his  official 
report  of  the  battle,  he  says  the  column  of  attack  was  formed 
between  nine  and  ten  o'clock,  and  the  disposition  of  the 
troops  had  scarcely  been  made  when  the  enemy  began  the 
attack.  As  has  been  shown,  General  Birney  did  not  re 
ceive  until  ten  o'clock  the  order  to  cross  his  division  over 
the  Rappahannock.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  he  did  not  sup 
port  an  attack  made  between  nine  and  ten  o'clock,  more 
than  three  miles  from  the  point  from  which  he  moved1? 
The  man  who  "  thinks  "  that  he-  might  have  come  up  sooner 
has  surely  not  taken  the  trouble  to  ascertain  the  hour  of 
the  day  when  Birney  received  the  order  to  advance. 

Between   the   testimony  of  General   Meade   and   that    of 


100  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

General  Birney  there  is  a  discrepancy  which  a  faithful 
historian  cannot  fail  to  note,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
he  thus  places  side  by  side  the  statement  of  a  dead  man 
with  that  of  a  General  who  has  lived  to  see  the  end  of 
the  "rebellion,  and  who  by  good  fortune  has  occupied  so 
conspicuous  a  place  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  General 
Meade  says  he  sent  three  times  to  General  Birney,  twice 
requesting  him  to  advance  to  his  support.  To  these  "re 
quests  the  answer  was  that  General  Birney  was  under  the 
order  of  General  Reynolds,  sustaining  General  Stoneman, 
and  could  not  move  without  their  orders."  The  third  time, 
General  Meade  says,  he  "  assumed  the  responsibility, 
(though  it  was  an  assumption  on  his  part,)  and  ordered 
Birney  up."  General  Birney,  on  the  other  hand,  testifies 
that  he  received  only  "  a  request  from  General  Meade  to 
advance  to  his  support,"  with  which  request  he  immediately 
complied,  though  by  doing  so  he  disregarded  an  order 
from  General  Reynolds,  his  immediate  commander.  Both 
the  statements  of  these  officers  are  under  oath,  and  the 
reader  must  judge  between  them.  The  only  comment  the 
writer  will  make  is,  that  if  General  Meade's  messengers, 
who  carried  the  first  two  requests,  are  reported  correctly, 
they  must  have  misunderstood  General  Birney,  for  he  was 
not  at  any  time  "  sustaining  General  Stoneman." 

In  calling  General  Stoneman  as  a  witness,  we  will  let 
him  testify  in  his  own  words,  and  submit  the  following 
extracts  from  his  official  report  of  the  battle : 

"  The  state  of  affairs  when  Birney's  (First)  Division 
arrived  on  the  ground,  followed  soon  after  by  Sickles' 
(Second)  Division,  was  any  thing  but  promising.  Their 


THE    BATTLE    OF    FREDERICKSBURG.  101 

opportune  arrival,  however,  first  checked  and  then  drove 
back  the  advancing  enemy,  who,  with  their  peculiar  yell, 
were  in  hot  pursuit  of  the  two  exhausted  and  retiring 
divisions  of  Meade  and  Gibbon,  and  also  were  able  to  save 
each  and  every  gun  belonging  to  the  latter  division,  which 
had  in  the  confusion  been  abandoned  by  their  support. 
Nor  was  this  all  the  results  of  the  timely  arrival  and  gal 
lant  conduct  of  the  two  first-named  divisions;  for  they 
succeeded  in  not  only  preventing  Doubleday's  command 
from  being  cut  off  and  taken  in  reverse,  the  left  of  Smith's 
corps  (which  had  not  been  engaged)  from  being  turned, 
but  possibly,  if  not  probably,  saved  the  entire  left  wing 
from  disaster. 

"But  in  doing  this  valuable  service,  this  First  Division 
lost  upwards  of  a  thousand  as  brave  men  as  ever  pulled  a 
trigger. 

"Of  the  conduct  of  this  division  I  cannot  speak  too 
highly.  Composed,  as  it  is,  of  regiments  from  almost 
every  State  from  the  Pcnobscot  to  the  Mississippi,  the  en 
tire  country  may  justly  feel  proud  of  its  well-earned  fame. 

"Amongst  the  stragglers  and  skulkers  the  Kearny  badge 
was  in  no  one  single  instance  observed,  while  the  new  regi 
ments,  then  and  now  belonging  to  this  division,  appeared 
to  vie  with  their  veteran  brothers  in  arms,  in  coolness, 
courage  and  efficiency. 

"Where  ah1  did  so  nobly  and  well,  it  is  difficult  to  dis 
tinguish.  I  must,  however,  be  permitted  to  compliment 
Brigadier-general  D.  B.  Birney  upon  the  handsome  and 
admirable  manner  in  which  he  handled  this,  his  now  pre 
sent  division,  and,  at  the  same  time,  cannot  omit  to  give 


102  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

all  due  credit   to  his  able  Brigadier-generals,  Berry,  Robin 
son  and  Ward,  for  the  splendid  manner  in  which  they  led  * 
and  fought  their  separate  brigades." 

General  Birney's  report  of  the  part  taken  by  his  division 
in  this  battle  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix  to  this  sketch. 

An  explanation  is  perhaps  requisite  to  show  why  so  much 
has  been  said  about  General  Birney's  conduct  at  the  battle 
of  Fredericksburg.  It  has  so  often  been  made  the  subject 
of  criticism  by  officers  of  the  army  who  had  only  heard  one 
version  of  the  story,  and  of  comment  in  social  circles, 
where  General  Birney  and  his  accusers  are  both  known, 
that  the  writer  has  thought  it  but  fair  to  the  memory  of 
General  Birney  that  the  whole  story  should  be  told,  and 
when  this  is  known  he  is  willing  that  an  intelligent  public 
shall  decide  whether  Birney  was  or  was  not  in  fault. 
Conscious  of  having  done  his  entire  duty,  Birney  never 
attempted  to  justify  his  conduct  either  in  public  or  private, 
but  such  indifference  would  be  criminal  on  the  part  of  any 
one  who  undertakes  to  sketch  the  military  life  of  any 
man  who  served  his  country  so  faithfully  as  did  General 
Birney. 


EMANCIPATION  PEOCLAMATION. 

the  defeat  of  the  Union  forces  at  Fred- 
ericksburg,  the  indignation  of  the 
country  was  unbounded-.  It  was 
doubtful,  for  some  time,  with  whom 
rested  the  responsibility  of  the  move 
ment  and  its  failure.  Vague  and 
painful  charges  were  made  against 
officers  of  the  army  and  of  the  administration.  A  bad  feel 
ing  prevailed  in  the  army,  and  the  friends  of  the  different 
prominent  general  officers  were  engaged  in  warm  discussions 
about  the  part  their  several  friends  had  performed  in  the 
movement  upon  Fredericksburg.  Besides  the'  destruction  of 
mutual  confidence  among  the  general  officers  in  the  army 
of  the  Potomac,  there  were  also  dissensions  at  Washington. 
General  Burnside  had  determined  upon  another  movement 
of  his  army,  and  on  the  30th  of  December  it  had  actually 
begun,  when  the  President  telegraphed  to  General  Burnside 
that  no  general  movement  should  be  made  without  letting 
him  know  of  it.  The  movement  was  suspended,  and  Gen 
eral  Burnside  went  at  once  to  Washington,  when  the 
President  told  him  that  some  general  officers  of  his  com 
mand  had  represented  that  the  contemplated  movement,  if 
made,  would  be  disastrous,  and,  General  Burnside  under 
stood  the  President  to  say,  that  no  prominent  officer  of  his 

(103) 


104  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

command  had  any  faith  in  the  proposed  movement.  After 
a  consultation  with  the  President,  the  Secretary  of  War, 
and  General  Halleck,  General  Burnside  returned  to  the 
army  without  any  definite  instructions,  and  the  movement 
was  abandoned. 

These  differences  in  the  councils  were  soon  known  to 
the  general  public,  and  increased  the  dissatisfaction  already 
existing  throughout  the  country.  The  removal  of  General 
McClellan  from  the  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
in  November,  1862,  had  caused  great  discontent  among 
his  friends,  who  were  then  numerous,  both  in  and  out  of 
the  army.  General  Burnsidc's  failure  at  Fredericksburg 
proved  that  the  change  in  the  commander  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  had  not  been  an  improvement,  and  General  Mc- 
Clellan's  friends  did  not  fail  to  impress  this  upon  the  public 
mind,  hoping  thus  to  have  him  replaced.  When  it  was 
known  that  differences  existed  between  General  Burnside 
and  members  of  the  administration,  the  general  public 
feared  a  repetition  of  the  dissensions  and  want  of  co-opera 
tion  which,  from  the  commencement  of  the  Peninsular  cam 
paign,  had  existed  between  the  civil  and  military  power  of 
the  country,  and  which  had  done  so  much  to  paralyze  its 
strength. 

These,  to  the  patriot,  were  the  gloomiest  days  of  the 
rebellion.  At  that  time,  it  must  be  remembered,  the  West 
ern  armies  had  not  begun  their  brilliant  movements,  and 
every  general  officer  who  had  been  entrusted  with  an  im 
portant  command  in  the  field  had  proved  a  failure;  some 
because  they  were  incompetent,  and  others  because  they 
had  been  fettered  by  orders,  which  prevented  them  from 


EMANCIPATION    PROCLAMATION.  105 

accomplishing  any  important  results.  Even  the  honesty, 
the  strength  of  purpose,  and  common  sense  of  Abraham 
Lincoln,  who  eventually  proved  to  be  the  sheet-anchor  in 
the  storm,  could  not  unite  the  discordant  elements  of  the 
North.  The  radicals  pelted  him  with  "paper  bullets,"  be 
cause  he  was  not  progressive  enough  to  suit  their  views,  and 
the  conservatives  abused  him,  because  he  did  not  wage  the 
war  as  they  wished  it  "for  the  restoration  of  the  Constitu 
tion,  the  laws,  and  the  Union."  Thus  stood  the  politicians ; 
the  camp  followers,  who  sought  the  loaves  and  the  fishes; 
and  the  jobbers  in  contracts,  who,  like  jackalls,  were  fatten 
ing  by  robbing  the  soldiers.  It  soon  happened,  however, 
as  it  always  has  where  a  nation  has  been  really  in  trouble, 
that  the  middle  men  of  the  country — men  who  had  all  at 
stake,  and  whose  trade  was  not  office  or  power — rose  up  in 
their  strength  and  rallied  to  the  support  of  those  officers  of 
the  Government  and  of  the  army,  who  really  wished  to  end 
the  rebellion  by  hard  blows. 

Nothing  contributed  so  much  to  elicit  this  latent  ele 
ment  of  power  as  the  publication  of  the  Emancipation 
Proclamation  by  President  Lincoln,  on  the  1st  day  of 
January,  1863.  This  document,  which  will  hereafter  stand 
side  by  side  with  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  in  the 
history  of  the  United  States,  will  be  found  in  full  in  the 
Appendix.  No  soldier  hailed  its  appearance  with  more  joy 
than  General  Birncy.  He  had  long  hoped  for  it,  and  be 
lieved  that  its  publication  would  strengthen  the  strong  man 
and  animate  the  weak.  He  had  buckled  on  his  sword, 
because  he  believed  that  this  rebellion  was  begun  by  men 
whose  principal  object  was  to  perpetuate  the  curse  of 


106  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

slavery  upon  our  land,  while  he  had  determined  that,  so 
far  as  lay  in  his  power,  as  a  man  and  a  soldier,  the  curse 
should  be  removed.  It  is  sad  to  reflect  that  after  he  had 
endured  so  much,  and  suffered  so  long,  he  was  not  per 
mitted  to  see  the  results  he  had  aided  to  bring  about. 

A  single  incident  will  illustrate  his  feelings  in  this  re 
gard.  During  the  three  months'  campaign,  while  he  was 
division  officer  of  the  day,  the  commanding  general  sent 
him  word  that  a  fugitive  slave  was  in  camp,  and  requested 
Lieutenant-colonel  Birney  to  have  the  fugitive  apprehended 
and  sent  to  headquarters.  Birney  replied  that,  "  after  a 
careful  examination  of  the  articles  of  war,  he  found  nothing 
that  required  him,  as  an  officer  of  the  United  States  army, 
to  aid  in  catching  runaway  slaves,"  and  he  declined  to 
perform  the  duty.  No  further  efforts  were  made  to  appre 
hend  the  fugitive,  who  probably  never  returned  to  his 
master. 


CAMP  LIFE. 


N  Monday  night,  December  15th,  1862, 
General  Birney  received  from  General 
Stoncman,  his  corps  commander,  an  order 
to  leave  that  portion  of  the  field  of  Fred- 
ericksburg  which  his  division  had  held 
for  three  days  and  three  nights,  and  re 
tire  across  the  Rappahannock.  This  order  was  obeyed,  and 
on  Tuesday,  the  16th  of  December,  they  occupied  their 
old  quarters  near  Falmouth,  opposite  Fredericksburg,  until 
the  22d  day  of  January,  1863,  when  the  famous  "Mud 
Campaign"  began.  This  movement  was  undertaken  by 
General  Burnside  on  his  own  responsibility.  After  his 
contemplated  movement  on  the  30th  of  December,  1862, 
had  been  checked  by  the  authorities  in  Washington,  Gen 
eral  Burnside  had  some  correspondence  with  the  President 
and  General  Halleck,  in  which  he  expressed  his  opinion 
that  a  forward  movement  should  be  made,  and  solicited 
authority  to  make  it.  General  Halleck  replied,  that  he 
had  always  favored  a  forward  movement  of  the  army,  but 
he  would  not  take  the  responsibility  of  directing  when  or 
how  it  should  be  done.  General  Burnside  went  to  work 
to  make  it,  but  his  plans  were  frustrated  by  a  severe 
winter  storm  and  the  condition  of  the  roads,  which  were 
almost  impassable,  even  for  infantry.  When  the  impossi- 

(107) 


108  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

bility  of  advance  became  manifest,  the  men  were  ordered 
back  to  their  original  encampments.  Here  they  remained 
until  the  27th  of  April,  1863,  when  they  moved  forward 
under  General  Hooker,  who  had  been  appointed  to  succeed 
General  Burn  side  in  the  command  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  on  the  26th  day  of  January,  1863. 

Shortly  after  General  Hooker  assumed  the  command,  the 
President  sent  to  the  Senate  a  number  of  names  for  pro 
motion;  among  them  Generals  13.  E.  Sickles  and  H.  G. 
Berry,  who  were  promoted  to  be  Major-generals.  General 
Sickles  had  commanded  the  Second  Division  of  the  Third 
Corps,  while  General  Birney  had  commanded  the  First 
Division,  and  General  Berry,  who  as  a  Colonel  had  com 
manded  a  regiment  in  Birney 's  old  brigade,  had  for  several 
months  commanded  a  brigade  in  Birney's  division.  While 
Birney  did  not  deny  the  merits  of  either  of  these  officers,  or 
their  right  to  their  reward  for  distinguished  services,  he  felt 
that  he  was  equally  entitled  to  promotion,  and  the  omission 
of  his  name  in  the  list  which  was  forwarded  by  the  Presi 
dent  to  the  Senate,  early  in  1863,  was  mortifying  to  him 
self  and  his  friends. 

To  the  credit  of  "Joe  Hooker,"  be  it  said,  that  he  par 
ticipated  in  the  disappointment,  and  did  all  in  his  power 
to  secure  Birney's  promotion.  After  he  had  been  placed 
in  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  he  wrote  to  the 
President  a  letter,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy: 


CAMP    LIFE.  109 


HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OP  THE  POTOMAC, 

CAMP  NEAR  FALMOUTH,  VA.,  February  3,  18G3. 

To  His  EXCELLENCY 

THE   PRESIDENT  OF   THE  UNITED   STATES: 

MR.  PRESIDENT  : — Permit  me  to  recommend  to  your 
favorable  consideration  Brigadier-general  D.  B.  Birney.  He 
is  an  applicant  for  promotion,  and  if  service  and  qualifi 
cations  are  of  weight,  he  is  richly  deserving  of  it. 

He  has  been  in  command  of  Kearny's  old  division  the 
greater  part  of  the  time  since  the  death  of  that  officer, 
and  I  know  of  no  better  division  commander  in  this  army, 
or  one  that  I  would  prefer  to  have  in  my  command.  He 
is  an  ornament  to  any  service. 

Very  respectfully 

Your  obedient  servant, 

JOS.  HOOKER, 

Major-general  Commanding. 

In  this  appli cation  General  Hooker  was  joined  by  the 
Hon.  Wm.  D.  Kelley,  Hon.  A.  K.  McClure,  Hon.  Edgar 
M.  Cowan,  Hon.  David  Wilmot,  (the  last  two  then  being 
Senators  from  the  State  of  Pennsylvania;)  by  Judges 
Casey  and  Carter,  of  Washington;  by  Major-general  S.  P. 
Heintzelman ; ,  by  Hon.  John  M.  Read,  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Pennsylvania,  and  by  a  number  of  the  leading 
citizens  of  Philadelphia.  But  all  these  were  of  no  avail. 
General  Birncy's  time  had  not  come.  In  the  additional 
list  of  names  sent  by  the  President  on  the  2d  day  of 
March,  1863,  General  Birney's  name  did  not  appear. 


HO  DAVID    BELL    B1RNEY. 

This  omission  elicited  from  General  Hooker   the   following 
telegram : 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  POTOMAC,  March  4,  1863. 

HON.  E.  M.  STANTON: 

DEAR  SIR  : — I  am  informed  that  Brigadier-general  David 
B.  Birney  has  been  dropped  from  the  roll  as  arranged  for 
promotion.  This  is  not  as  I  was  led  to  believe. 

There  is  no  better  division  commander  in  the  army 
I  command  than  General  Birney,  and  I  beg  to  insist  upon 
his  nomination.  The  influence  which  is  brought  to  bear  in 
opposition  to  his  being  promoted  is  of  a  character  entirely 
detrimental  to  the  good  of  our  cause  and  the  country. 

JOSEPH  HOOKER, 

Major-general  commanding  Army  of  Potomac. 

In  spite  of  the  efforts  of  superior  officers  and  of  political 
friends  the  promotion  was  not  made,  but  these  efforts 
elicited  from  Mr.  Lincoln  the  following  remark: 

Late  in  March,  1863,  while  General  Birney  was  in  Wash 
ington  to  appear  before  the  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of 
the  War,  he  called  upon  President  Lincoln  to  pay  his  re 
spects,  and  after  the  usual  salutations,  the  President  said, 
"Birney,  why  do  your  friends  remind  me  of  the  newsboys 
about  Washington?" 

"Indeed,  sir,"  said  Birney,  "I  cannot  tell." 

"Why,"  answered  Old  Abe,  "they  are  always  crying  out 
'Extra'  Star." 

The  point  of  this  joke  consists  in  the  fact  that  the  most 
enterprising  daily  paper  in  Washington  is  called  the  "  Even 
ing  Star"  and  the  newsboys  about  the  city  have,  since  the 


CAMP    LIFE.  Ill 

rebellion,  been  in  the  habit  of  selling   the  " EXTRA   STAR" 
whenever  any  news  prompted  the  publication  of  an  extra. 

About  the  middle  of  February,  1863,  General  Hooker 
placed  General  Stoneman  in  command  of  the  cavalry  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  Major-general  D.  E.  Sickles 
was,  by  the  President,  assigned  to  the  command  of  the 
Third  Corps.  He  retained  this  command  until  he  was 
wounded  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  and  during  those 
four  months  and  a  half  the  relations  between  him  and 
General  Birney  were  of  the  most  intimate  character. 
They  soon  formed  a  friendship  for  each  other  which 
broke  down  the  barrier  of  official  intercourse,  and  lasted 
until  General  Birney's  decease.  They  united  and  culti 
vated  an  esprit  du  corps  among  their  men  which  made 
the  Third  Army  Corps  celebrated  for  the  unity  of  feeling 
that  existed  among  its  officers,  and  the  devotion  of  the 
soldiers  to  their  officers  and  to  each  other.  Their  head 
quarters  soon  became  noted  for  hospitality,  and  during 
the  spring  of  1863,  the  Third  Corps  established  a  popu 
larity  in  the  army,  and  with  the  visitors  to  the  army, 
which  will  long  be  remembered.  During  this  period  the 
foundation  was  laid  of  the  "  Third  Corps  Union,"  which 
is  believed  to  be  the  only  association  of  the  kind  organ 
ized  in  any  of  the  Union  armies.  Its  object  was  to 
preserve  the  history  of  the  brigades  and  divisions  of  the 
corps,  to  promote  good  fellowship  among  the  officers,  and 
to  provide  assistance  for  its  members  and  their  families 
in  case  of  need.  The  several  members  were  under  an 
obligation,  in  the  event  of  any  officer  of  the  corps  being 
taken  prisoner,  to  make  exertions  to  procure  his  release,  or 


112  DAVID     BELL    BIRNEY. 

if  he  fell  in  battle  the  officers  of  the  Union  were  bound  by 
the  by-laws  of  the  association  to  have  his  body  properly 
embalmed  and  sent  to  his  friends  for  interment.  The 
members  of  this  "  Union "  were  designated  by  a  badge 
which  the  association  had  adopted,  and  this  mark  of 
distinction  they  all  wear,  and  prize  beyond  any  designation 
conferred  upon  them  as  a  reward  for  services  rendered  the 
country.  In  the  future,  when  these  men  shall  have  returned 
to  the  pursuits  of  peace,  they  will  value  the  "  Third  Corps 
Union"  medal,  and  the  recollections  of  this  association  will 
be  one  of  the  most  pleasant  reminiscences  of  their  life  in 
the  field.  Its  members  and  their  descendants  will  find  the 
"  Third  Corps  Union "  as  strong  a  badge  of  union  as  has  for 
ninety  years  united  the  society  of  the  Cincinnati. 

The  efforts  of  the  general  officers  of  the  Third  Corps  to 
create  a  good  feeling  among  its  members  were  extended  to 
the  private  soldiers,  and  during  the  spring  of  1863  the  mon 
otony  of  camp  life  was  varied  by  such  entertainments  and 
amusements  as  could  be  extemporized  in  the  field,  and  the 
correspondents  of  the  press  during  the  dearth  of  army  news, 
which  it  was  their  business  to  collect,  amused  the  public 
by  long  descriptions  of  the  amusements  prepared  for  the  sol 
diers  by  thoughtful  commanders.  General  Birncy,  as  usual, 
was  foremost  in  these  efforts  to  employ  the  thoughts  of  the 
soldiers  during  the  dullness  of  camp  life.  These  entertain 
ments  were  so  successful  that  they  were  frequently  repeated, 
and  each  time  with  more  and -more  eclat.  The  most  suc 
cessful  occurred  on  the  28th  of  March,  1863.  The  corres 
pondent  of  the  Philadelphia  Inquirer  writes  as  follows : — 


CAMP    LIFE.  113 

"  OPPOSITE  FREDEKICKSBURG,  March  28,  18G3. 

"  In  one  of  our  letters  of  this  week  we  alluded  to  a  grand 
jollification  which  was  to  take  place  in  the  division  com 
manded  by  General  Birney,  and  that  because  of  the  bad 
condition  of  the  roads  it  had  been  postponed  from  Tuesday 
to  Friday  of  the  present  week. 

"Yesterday,  in  the  usual  course  of  events,  rolled  round, 
and  a  brighter,  more  lovely  and  glorious  day  could  not 
have  been  accorded  us  had  it  been  '  made  to  order.' 

"  The  site  selected  for  the  performance  was  a  large  open 
field,  near  the  headquarters  of  the  division.  During  the 
week  the  staff  connected  with  headquarters,  under  guidance 
of  Lieutenant  Briscoc,  had  been  busy  in  perfecting  such 
arrangements  as  would  render  the  whole  affair  a  success. 

"  The  race-course,  about  one  mile  and  a  quarter  in 
length,  passing  over  a  country  with  but  slight  diversifica 
tion  of  hill  and  dale,  had  been  during  the  week  put 
through  such  a  'course  of  training'  as  to  render  it  admira 
bly  adapted  for  the  purpose.  Upon  the  highest  part  of  the 
ground  and  overlooking  the  entire  field  a  stand  of  some 
one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  long  and  sixteen  wide  was 
erected,  a  portion  of  the  same  being  appropriated  to  the 
Judges.  In  front  of  this  Judges'  position  a  small  flag 
marked  the  starting  point,  and  following  the  course,  some 
thirty  yards  distant,  was  a  deep  ditch,  eight  feet  wide. 
Continuing  along  the  track  the  next  obstruction  was  a  hur 
dle  some  six  feet  high,  and  made  of  brush;  further  on 
was  another  similar  hurdle,  then  another  eight  feet  ditch, 
and  again  two  other  hurdles,  the  last  home-stretch  up  to 

15 


114  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

the  main  stand  being  perfectly  level  and  about  a  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  long. 

"The  crowd  to  witness  the  exhibition  began  to  assemble 
early,  and  by  ten  o'clock  the  entire  track  was  hemmed  in 
by  the  gallant  soldiers  of  this  and  other  divisions.  General 
Hooker  granted  a  general  holiday  to  the  army,  with  the 
exception  of  those  doing  picket-duty. 

"  The  stand  was  occupied  by  some  fifty  or  more  ladies, 
who  are  visiting  us,  together  with  almost  all  our  major  and 
brigadier-generals. 

"Just  before  the  initiatory  exhibition  was  commenced, 
the  entire  ground  encircled  by  the  track  was  cleared  of  all 
parties  occupying  it,  except  such  commissioned  officers  as 
were  mounted.  The  regiments  selected  to  do  guard  duty 
was  the  Thirty-eighth  New  York,  Colonel  De  Trobriand, 
and  the  One-hundred-and-fourteenth  Pennsylvania,  Colonel 
Collis.  Much  credit  is  due  to  this  body  of  troops  for  the 
admirable  manner  in  which  they  performed  their  duties. 

"The  Judges  were  Generals  Birncy,  Owens  and  Ward, 
the  latter  being  the  Master  of  Ceremonies.  Major-General 
Berry  was  referee,  while  Captain  John  Gossin,  chief  of 
General  Meagher's  staff,  was  selected  as  the  starter  of  the 
races.  Lieutenants  Lee  and  Raphael,  of  General  Ward's 
staff,  were  selected  to  have  charge  of  the  comical  portions 
of  the  programme. 

"Major  Brevoort,  Captains  Fassitt,  Tallman,  Markle,  and 
Lieutenants  Briscoe,  Graves,  Moore  and  Clarke,  together 
with  Surgeon  Lyman,  of  General  Birney's  staff,  were  all, 
during  the  entire  day,  actively  engaged  in  attending  to  the 
wants  of  the  assembled  guests,  and  helping  to  make  the 


CAMP    LIFE.  115 

day  one  long  to  be  remembered  with  pleasure  by  all  as 
sembled. 

"  The  first  thing  on  the  programme  arranged  for  the 
occasion,  was  a  Hurdle  Race  and  Steeple  Chase,  best  two 
in  three;  entrance  fee,  twenty  dollars,  open  to  all  officers, 
the  winner  to  pocket  the  stakes.  The  second  best  entitled 
him  to  his  entrance  money.  Seven  horses  were  entered  for 
this  race,  viz : — 

"  Captain  Kurshow,  bay  mare  '  Queen,'  ridden  by  Count 
Blucher.  Colonel  Van  Schaick,  sorrel  gelding  '  Faderland,'  rid 
den  by  owner.  Quartermaster  Martin,  bay  mare  'Kathleen- 
Mavourncen,'  ridden  by  Dr.  Reynolds,  of  General  Meagher's 
staff.  General  Mcagher,  bay  gelding  '  Napper  Tandy/  rid 
den  by  Captain  Whiteford.  Colonel  McKnight,  bay  gelding 
'  Billy/  ridden  by  Lieutenant  McHcnry.  Lieutenant  Scibrie, 
bay  mare  '  Zclla/  ridden  by  owner.  Prince  Salm  Salm,  bay 
horse  'Fasco/  ridden  by  owner. 

"At  the  given  Avord,  the  horses  started  off  fair  and  evenly, 
came  dashing  past  the  grand  stand  almost  simultaneously, 
going  splendidly  over  the  first  ditch,  and  keeping  well  to 
gether  over  the  first  hurdle.  The  horses  '  Faderland/  '  Kath 
leen  Mavourneen/  '  Fasco/  and  '  Zella/  in  the  same  order 
began  to  take  the  advance.  It  was  evident,  however,  that 
Prince  Salm  Salm  was  not  urging  his  steed,  and  doubtless 
would  have  won  the  race  had  not  his  horse  stumbled  and 
thrown  him.  The  injuries  he  sustained  are  mostly  internal, 
but  he  is  fast  recovering;  the  horse,  however,  was  seriously 
injured. 

"In  the  order  above-named  the  horses  came  up  to  the 
winning  post,  time  3-15. 


116  DAVID    BELL    BIRNET. 

"The  second  heat  was  similar  to  the  last,  with  the  ex 
ception  that  no  accident  occurred;  time  made,  3-10,  the 
decision  of  the  Judges  awarding  the  prize  to  Colonel  Van 
Schaick,  his  horse,  '  Fadeiiand,'  winning  in  two  straight  heats. 

"It  was  in  contemplation  to  have  the  next  race  run  by 
'taking'  only  the  hurdles,  and  not  the  ditches.  The  com 
petitors  were  to  have  been  Prince  Salm  Salm,  Generals 
Birney,  Averill  and  Meagher,  but  owing  to  the  unfortunate 
accident  to  the  Prince  the  race  was  deferred. 

"After  the  lapse  of  half  an  hour  the  bugle  was  sounded, 
and  when  quiet  was  obtained,  General  Owen  announced  the 
next  race  to  be  one  open  to  all  officers,  entrance  fee  five 
dollars,  one  straight  heat,  the  winner  to  take  the  entire 
stakes. 

"For  this  race  only  four  horses  were  entered,  Major  West, 
of  the  Seventeenth  Maine,  entering  a  horse  to  be  ridden  by 
Lieutenant  Samuel  McIIenry.  Major  Burns,  Fourth  Excel 
sior,  bay  mare,  ridden  by  owner.  Assistant-Surgeon  Daniel 
E.  Kelsey,  Sixty-fourth  New  York,  entered  a  dark  bay  horse, 
ridden  by  himself.  Captain  A.  P.  Hill,  Fourth  Excelsior 
regiment,  horse,  ridden  by  Captain  Shine. 

"At  the  word  'go,'  the  horses  got  off  together,  and  had  a 
close  race  until  after  passing  the  first  hurdle,  when  all  the 
horses  but  that  of  Major  West  bolted  the  track,  leaving  the 
latter  to  make  the  balance  of  the  track  at  an  easy  gait, 
and  winning  the  race,  coming  in  at  an  easy  walk. 

"Again,  another  race  was  instituted,  the  orders  for  govern 
ing  it  being  of  a  peculiar  nature,  and  confined  to  horses 
belonging  to  officers  of  the  first  brigade  only.  Each  horse 
to  be  ridden  by  its  owner's  antagonist,  the  last  horse  to 


CAMP    LIFE.  117 

win  a  purse  of  one  hundred  and  forty  dollars.  The  owner 
of  the  first  horse  to  reach  the  starting  point  to  receive  fifty 
dollars,  and  the  rider  of  the  same  an  equal  sum.  Twelve 
horses  were  entered  for  the  race,  viz.: — 

"Colonel  Kirkwood  entered  'Archy,'  ridden  by  Colonel 
Watkins.  Colonel  Collis  entered  'Zoozoo,'  ridden  by  Lieu 
tenant  Dcnnison.  Colonel  Watkins  entered  '  Yankee,'  ridden 
by  Lieutenant  Boyle.  Colonel  McGcnahan  entered  '  Tommy,' 
ridden  by  Major  Spalding.  Major  Spalding  entered  'Ned,' 
ridden  by  Lieutenant  Kimple.  Colonel  Madill  entered  '  Lit 
tle  Billy,'  ridden  by  Lieutenant  Garretson.  Lieutenant  Dcn 
nison  entered  'Robin  Hood,'  ridden  by  Lieutenant  Scarlc. 
Lieutenant  Seaiic  entered  '  Stumbler,'  ridden  by  Lieutenant 
Moorhcad.  Colonel  McKnight  entered  'Pete,'  ridden  by 
Colonel  Madill.  Colonel  Sides  entered  'Billy,'  ridden  by 
Colonel  Collis.  Major  Banks  entered  'Boston,'  ridden  by 
Colonel  Crawford.  Lieutenant  Collis  entered  'Homicide,' 
ridden  by  Colonel  Gamble. 

"  This  was  a  flat  race,  no  ditches  or  hurdles  were  to  be 
gone  over,  and  to  be  decided  in  one  straight  heat. 

"The  horses  got  off  well  together,  and  so  continued  until 
on  the  last  turn,  when  wind  began  to  tell,  and  as  they  came 
around  on  to  the  home-stretch  the  speed  was  awful,  Colonel 
Kirkwood's  horse  being  in  the  advance.  Colonel  Collis, 
riding  Colonel  Sides'  horse,  had  evidently  been  riding  what 
is  called  in  jockeying  parlance  a  waiting  race;  but,  just 
before  coming  to  the  last  turn,  he  began  to  leave  some 
behind  and  decrease  the  distance  between  himself  and  those 
in  the  advance.  As  he  came  up  to  the  guide  flag  that 
marked  the  turn,  the  horse  he  was  on  was  going  at  a 


118  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

slashing  pace,  when  down  went  horse  and  rider,  rolling 
over  and  over.  The  fall  was  occasioned  by  turning  too 
short  in  the  mud,  the  horse's  feet  slipping  out  from  under 
him.  The  horse  recovered  his  foothold  before  its  rider,  and 
came  up  to  the  stand  without  a  guide,  thereby  coming  in 
last  and  winning  the  one  hundred  and  forty  dollar  purse. 
At  the  pace  Collis  was  going  when  this  mishap  occurred,  it 
is  fair  to  presume  he  would  have  come  in  first  best.  As  it 
was,  Colonel  Kirkwood's  horse,  ridden  by  Colonel  Watkins, 
came  up  to  the  stand  first,  and  secured  the  prize  above- 
named  for  the  first  horse  in. 

"Another  race  was  then  established,  to  be  ridden  on  the 
same  course  as  the  last,  entrance  fee  twenty  dollars,  open 
to  all  officers,  one  straight  heat;  the  winner  to  take  the 
pool.  For  this  race  Captain  Fassitt  entered  'Black  Dia 
mond,'  ridden  by  Colonel  Welch.  Colonel  Vincent  entered 
'Rodney,'  ridden  by  Lieutenant  Chambers.  Colonel  Ber- 
dan  entered  'Hunter,'  ridden  by  Lieutenant  Shoup.  Count 
Blucher  entered  '  Independence,'  ridden  by  himself. 

"After  two  false  starts  they  got  off,  Colonel  Bcrdan's 
'Hunter'  baulking  at  the  last  start,  and  withdrawing  from  the 
race.  Colonel  Vincent's  horse  came  in  the  winner,  time  2-55. 

"Next  came  the  comicalities,  in  which  the  privates  in 
dulged.  First  a  foot  race,  prizes,  ten  dollars,  five  dollars  and 
three  dollars;  next,  climbing  the  greased  pole;  then  a  sack- 
race;  next,  wheel  of  fortune;  another  foot  race;  yet  another 
sack  race,  and  winding  up  with  a  cock  fight — two  men 
personating  roosters,  and  bucking  against  each  other  in  the 
same  manner  as  do  the  bipeds. 

"After  this  performance  was  over  the  invited  guests  ad- 


CAMP    LIFE.  119 

journcd  to  the  headquarters  of  General  Birncy,  where  for 
an  hour  or  two  they  indulged  to  their  hearts'  content  in  all 
the  convivialities  usual  upon  such  occasions,  eating,  drinking 
and  making  merry.  The  festivities  were  ended  by  an  Ethi 
opian  concert  gotten  up  by  members  of  General  Ward's 
brigade. 

"After  the  Ethiopian  performance,  the  guests  quietly  re 
tired  to  their  several  camps,  and  thus  ended  a  day  which 
wiU  long  be  remembered  by  all  connected  with  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac. 

"  Prominent  among  the  participants  of  the  amusements 
were  Govemor  Curtin  and  General  Hooker.  General  Bir- 
ney's  headquarters  were  decorated  handsomely  with  ever 
greens. 

"With  the  exception  of  the  accidents  referred  to,  nothing 
occurred  to  mar  the  enjoyment  of  the  day." 

The  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Herald  sent  his 
description  of  the  sports  in  the  following  language : — 

"It  was  Friday,  March  27,  1863.  So  the  sun  rose  and 
cut  up  sundry  shines,  and  annihilated  the  mud,  and  behaved 
generally  as  if  he  had  been  on  a  special  detail  to  clear  up 
the  roads  and  get  matters  ready  for  sport.  He  did  his  part 
of  the  business  well,  and  then  the  indescribable  imp,  yclept 
Mat,  who  attends  to  the  chronicler's  horse  and  boots,  sad 
dled  our  noble  Rosinante,  and  we  rode  towards  the  scene  of 
the  promised  fun — the  field  of  the  cloth  of  gold. 

"  On  every  hand,  wherever  there  were  cedar  trees,  the 
birds  came  out,  and,  as  Pierre  Vidal  or  some  other  amiable 
troubadour  hath  it,  'trilled  richly  their  notes  of  golden  latin/ 


120  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

and  made  the  way  very  pleasant  as  we  rode;  and  from 
every  direction,  also,  there  rode  gayly  out  from  among  the 
'lazy  tents'  troops  of  gallant  fellows  in  all  the  bravery  of 
rich  attire,  and  all  rode  the  same  way;  and  that  is  how  it 
was  that  we  came,  without  any  trouble  to  find  it,  upon 
the  very  scene  of  the  festivities,  in  the  open  plain  near  Fal- 
mouth. 

"  For  a  perfectly  natural,  free  race,  the  course  was  just  ex 
actly  what  it  should  be.  From  the  grand  stand  it  stretched 
in  a  circuit  of  one  mile  out  into  the  open  country,  and  had 
sufficient  inequality  of  surface  to  make  the  ride  a  hard  one. 
At  two  points  in  the  course  the  horses  were  out  of  sight 
from  a  position  in  the  field  near  the  grand  stand,  on  ac 
count  of  the  hills.  About  a  hundred  yards  from  the  stand 
was  the  first  ditch,  some  six  or  seven  feet  in  width,  and 
two  or  three  hundred  yards  further  on  the  first  hurdle. 
There  were,  I  believe,  four  hurdles;  but  they  were  very 
innocent  affairs;  for  if  a  horse  did  not  quite  clear  them 
his  heels  broke  through,  and  he  went  on  just  as  well. 

"  In  two  or  three  places  on  the  course  there  was  con 
siderable  mud;  except  in  these  few  spots  the  ground  was 
in  good  condition.  In  the  absence  of  stakes  to  define  the 
course,  its  direction  over  the  wide  plain  was  marked  out  by 
a  line  of  men  drawn  around  its  whole  extent.  There  they 
stood,  at  order  arms,  impassive  as  the  posts  they  stood  for, 
and  this  gave  a  picturesqueness  and  character  of  order  and 
regularity  to  the  scene  very  pleasant  to  behold  on  a  race 
course.  Thus  every  post  was  light  blue  below  and  dark 
blue  above;  and  each  post,  too,  was  a  blaze  of  sun-beams, 
'  a  wreath  of  radiant  fire,'  as  from  every  musket-barrel 


CAMP    LIFE.  121 

the   sunshine  was   reflected,  broken  in  a  thousand  splinters 
of  light. 

"  The  grand  stand  was  upon  a  hill  that  commanded  a  full 
view  of  the  course,  and  was  formed  of  part  of  a  bridge  train 
built  upon  wagons.  Over  the  stand  fluttered  the  colors  of 
General  Birney,  (first  division,  Third  Corps.)  Three  excel 
lent  bands  were  on  the  stand,  and  played  admirably  all  the 
airs  that  one  knows  and  loves  to  hear,  and  all  the  airs 
that  one  don't  know  and  wishes  he  did — exquisite  and  de 
licious  music — 

"Music  that  more  gently  on  the  spirit  lies 
Than  tired  eyelids  upon  tired  eyes. 

It  tempered  to  a  proper  degree   the   mirth  that  without  it 
might    have  been  on  the  over-boisterous  order. 

o 

"On  the  ^stand  was  the  Judge,  and  the  herald  (in  the 
form  of  a  bugler)  blew  thrice  the  summons  to  the  various 
encounters  of  the  day.  Up  and  down  the  track  in  front 
of  the  stand  a  strong  guard  was  drawn  up,  part  of  which 
was  in  the  brilliant  uniform  of  the  Zouave,  and  these, 
with  the  blue  of  other  uniforms,  the  brilliant  dresses  of 
officers  and  the  colors  of  the  ladies'  dresses — all  seen  in 
strong  relief  against  a  clear  blue  sky — made  a  very  ani 
mated  coup  d'ceil. 

"'Fighting  Joe'  was  there  in  his  usual  trim.  Sickles 
was  there,  as  suave  and  courteous  as  Sickles  always  is. 
Meaglier  was  there,  in  a  black  coat  and  on  a  white  horse. 
White  horses  have  become  quite  the  style  in  the  army, 
and  General  Birney  himself  was  mounted  on  a  very  hand- 

16 


122  DAVID    BELL    BIRNET. 

some  one.  Officers  from  every  part  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  were  there. 

"  Bated  like  eagles,  having  lately  bathed ; 
Glittering  in  golden  coats  like  images ; 
As  full  of  spirit  as  the  month  of  May, 
And  gorgeous  as  the  sun  at  midsummer, 

These  wanton  fellows  galloped  up  and  down  and  admired 
one  another  in  the  open  plain  inside  the  course. 

"  So  it  was  a  scene  of  chivalrous  pomp  and  pageantry, 
and  all  was  gayety  and  good  humor,  when,  exactly  at 
eleven,  A.  M.,  the  field  was  called  for  the  first  race. 

"Five  horses  were  entered.  One  of  these  was  a  beast 
of  special  note — a  perfect  beauty — said  to  be  owned  by 
Colonel  Von  Schaick,  of  the  New  York  Seventh.  He 
was  ridden  by  a  German  artillery  officer.  Another  horse 
was  ridden  by  the  Prince  Salm  Salm.  There  were  two 
riders  in  this  race  gotten  up  in  the  showy  colors  of  the 
course.  This  was  a  tolerably  'soft'  race,  and  was  won  by 
Colonel  Von  Schaick's  horse  with  ease  in  two  straight 
heats.  He  went  over  the  obstructions  like  a  bird.  The 
Prince  Salm  Salm  was  badly  thrown  at  a  ditch,  and  it  is 
said  had  some  ribs  broken.  As  for  the  men  '  in  motley,' 
their  appearance  was  very  lively,  if  their  movements  were  not. 

"  '  Now,  then,  gentlemen,  this  is  your  time,'  said  a  clear 
voice  with  the  Irish  accent  or  patois.  '  This  is  your  time — 
sweepstakes — entrance  five  dollars — open  for  any  horses — to 
be  ridden  by  officers  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.'  And 
the  speaker  rode  on  and  made  his  announcement  up  and 
down  the  field — a  sort  of  marechal  de  cJiamp  and  crier  in 
one.  He  hadn't  the  baton  that  the  marshals  have  in  the 


CAMP    LIFE.  123 

illustrated  Froissarts,  and  he  had  better  clothes  than  the 
town  criers  are  apt  to  have  anywhere.  Beautiful  svcre  his 
clothes !  Behold  him  brilliant  in  blue  and  gold,  with  a 
black  belt  wide  as  a  baldric  over  his  left  shoulder,  and 
the  ends  of  his  moustache  dressed  with  pomade  Hongroise. 
Beautiful  were  his  clothes — and  he  was  an  Irishman,  and 
formerly,  some  one  said,  in  the  Austrian  service.  What 
soldiers  they  are,  those  sons  of  the  Emerald  Isle,  with  their 
liquid  and  musical  voices,  and  how  very  fond  they  arc  of 
gold  lace !  Fighting  cocks  fond  of  their  feathers. 

"  But  here  is  the  field  for  the  next  race  —  only  four 
horses.  They  are  to  run  over  the  same  track — hurdles, 
ditches  and  all — and  there  they  go;  not  much  of  a  start, 
not  a  jockey  in  the  party.  Never  mind  what  is  ahead  or 
Avhat  behind;  and  every  horse  pushed  to  his  utmost  from 
the  word  go.  Of  course  the  pace  soon  gave  out. 

"  The  race  was  won  by  a  distance.  Horse  No.  2,  far 
behind,  came  to  the  last  ditch  and  put  his  rider  into  it 
handsomely,  and  went  down  himself  in  an  easy,  safe  sort 
of  way.  But  the  rider  was  game.  He  was  up  and  on 
again  in  no  time,  and  still  came  in  second.  So  you  may 
judge  where  the  other  two  were. 

"As  the  last  of  these  four  horses  came  to  the  last  of  the 
hurdles  he  refused  to  rise,  but  broke  his  way  right  through 
the  hurdle.  But  his  rider  was  too  conscientious  to  ride  a 
race  in  that  way,  and  so,  though  already  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  behind,  and  sure  to  come  in  last,  he  determined  to 
come  in  '  on  the  square,'  and  therefore  took  his  horse  back 
around  the  hurdle  and  brought  him  over  it  in  very  fail- 
style. 


124  DAVID    BELL    BIKNEY. 

"  So  there  was  another  interval  of  gossip  and  of  gallops 
up  and  down.  And  then  came  the  third  race,  open  only 
for  officers  of  General  Birney's  division.  There  were  six 
or  seven  competitors  for  this  race,  and  they  got  away  any 
how,  with  no  start  at  all,  and  dribbled  all  down  the  track 
for  some  hundreds  of  yards. 

"  Now,  in  this  race  there  was  a  certain  horse  full  of  fire 
and  fine  points,  and  ridden  by  a  colonel.  Horse  and  colonel 
were  both  disposed  to  show  what  could  be  done,  and, 
though  in  the  long,  drawn  out  kite-tail  sort  of  start,  the 
horse  and  the  colonel  were  the  last  knot  but  one  in  the 
kite-tail,  they  soon  came  to  the  front,  and  by  the  time 
half  the  course  was  made  they  had  a  fair  lead  of  the  field. 
But  toward  the  end  of  the  run  there  was  a  very  short 
turn,  which  the  horse,  'lost  in  the  labyrinth  of  his  fury,' 
didn't  appreciate.  He  was  now  disposed  to  show  what  he 
could  do  without  the  colonel,  became  a  wilful  beast  and 
went  his  own  way  all  over  the  field,  and  everywhere  but 
towards  the  stand.  After  some  minutes  of  that  sort  of 
conduct,  he  concluded  that  he  and  the  colonel  couldn't 
agree;  so  he  deposited  the  colonel  in  the  ditch,  and  had  a 
career  on  his  own  account.  By  all  of  which  arrangements 
his  speed  was  wasted,  and  the  horse  that  had  been  second 
went  in  winner. 

"In  this  race  there  was  an  officer  who,  having  scarlet 
pants  as  part  of  his  uniform,  had  also  mounted  a  scarlet 
shirt  and  scarlet  night-cap,  and  shone  out  an  airy  red  rider 
of  the  most  grotesque  appearance.  But  it  happened  that, 
as  his  horse  ran  on,  this  homme  rouge  lost  his  -seat  just  at  a 
point  where  the  mud  was  very  yellow,  and  so  it  transpired 


CAMP    LIFE.  125 

that,  though  he  started  in  the  full  bloom  of  brilliant  red, 
he  returned  to  the  stand  in  very  dirty  yellow. 

"Then  there  was  a  foot-race  between  soldiers.  No  swift- 
footed  Achilles  was  present  on  the  occasion,  and  perhaps  it 
is  to  the  honor  of  these  soldiers  of  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac  that  they  did  not  run  particularly  well.  Then  came  the 
fourth  race,  run,  like  the  third,  on  a  flat  track.  It  was 
contested  by  three  good  horses  and  was  the  best  race  of 
the  day.  All  three  of  the  horses  were  right  together  for 
half  the  length  of  the  course,  when  two  went  in  alone;  for 
to  the  third  it  happened  that,  at  the  rise  of  a  little  hill,  he 
stumbled  and  went  forward  on  his  head,  and  his  rider  went 
over  on  his  head;  and  then,  as  the  rider  staggered  to  his 
feet,  the  horse  partly  regained  his  feet,  and  again  fell  with 
his  rider  under  him.  And  yet  the  rider  came  out  appa 
rently  unhurt. 

"Another  foot-race  followed,  then  a  race  of  boys  tied  in 
sacks,  and  sundry  lusty  fellows  made  ineffectual  attempts  to 
climb  a  greased  pole,  for  the  sake  of  a  bank  note  at  the 
top — entertainment  admirably  calculated  for  those  of  the 
men  and  boys  who  chose  to  participate;  'youths  who  thun 
der  at  a  play-house  and  fight  for  bitten  apples.' 

A  private  letter,  published  in  the  Salem  (Massachusetts) 
Gazette,  describes  the  amusements  as  follows : — 

"  This  morning,  having  leisure,  I  thought  that  I  would 
sketch  the  events  of  yesterday,  that  the  good  folks  at  home 
might  have  thorough  information  concerning  the  last  and 
the  greatest  movement  in  this  army,  one  before  which  all 
former  reconnoissances  fade  away,  and  cavalry  raids  grow 


126  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

'  small  by  degrees  and  beautifully  less.'  I  refer  to  a  '  hur 
dle-race  and  other  festivities,'  under  the  management  of 
General  Birney,  similar  to  but  on  a  more  extended  scale 
than  those  which  celebrated  St.  Patrick's  Day  in  the  Irish 
brigade. 

"  '  The  morning  was  glorious,'  and  about  ten,  A.  M.,  you 
might  have  seen  the  representatives  of  the  brigade  staff,  in 
common  with  hundreds  of  others,  en  route  for  the  course. 
You  know  how  the  road  looks  in  the  country  on  a  muster 
day,  when  everybody's  nose  points  in  the  same  direction, 
and  moves  forward  according  as  their  good  fortune  has 
provided  them  with  swift  feet  or  fast  horses.  Even  so 
was  it  here,  save  that  girls  and  boys,  women  and  babies 
were  not  the  largest  proportion  of  the  living  stream.  The 
equestrians  of  course  outnumbered  the  pedestrians,  and  the 
number  of  wheeled  vehicles  was  small,  being  for  the  most 
part  ambulances,  although  there  were  several  which  were 
evidently  improvised  for  the  occasion.  Hence,  thorough 
breds,  half-breds  and  mules  filled  the  road,  bearing  every 
body,  from  major-generals  to  'contrabands.'  Equality,  if  not 
fraternity,  seemed  to  be  the  order  of  the  day,  and  privates 
elbowed  officers,  splashed  mud  over  them — no  matter,  all 
right  so  long  as  neither  has  his  neck  broken  and  both 

o  o 

arrive  on  the  ground  before  the  performances  commence. 

"Arriving  there  we  found  the  course  encircled  by  a 
string  of  vigilant  sentinels,  in  the  picturesque  uniform  of 
the  Zouave.  Being  mounted,  we  were  permitted  to  pass 
through  and  join  the  already  large  number  who  were  dash 
ing  hither  and  thither,  running  and  jumping,  or  making 
an  inspection  of  the  track.  Following  the  example  of  the 


CAMP    LIFE.  127 

latter,  we  found  there  were  three  ditches  and  three  hur 
dles,  the  former  about  six  feet  wide,  the  latter  not  quite 
so  high;  and  then  took  our  stations  nearly  opposite  the 
platform,  which  was  built  on  army  wagons  for  the  Judges 
and  'distinguished  visitors,'  and  listened  to  the  music  of 
the  two  brass  bands,  which  alternately  vied  with  each  other 
as  to  which  should  produce  the  oldest  and  most  doleful 
tunes  suitable  to  the  occasion.  While  waiting  we  surveyed 
the  crowd  and  commented  thereon.  If  you  wished  for  style, 
it  was  there;  for  beauty,  it  was  at  hand;  for  elegance  and 
grace,  you  need  go  no  further;  for  any  language  under  the 
sun,  from  parlez  vous  to  the  argot  of  a  New  York  fireman, 
you  had  but  to  listen.  There  were  shoulder  straps  from 
the  size  of  a  Poor  Man's  Plaster  to  the  regulation;  gold 
lace  by  the  yard;  clanking  sabres  and  rattling  spurs;  gor 
geous  housings  and  elegant  equipments.  Beside  them  were 
uniforms  '  tattered  and  torn,'  ill-shaped  and  ill-fitting,  and 
splashed  with  Virginia  mud,  looking  as  if  the  wearers  put 
them  on  when  they  enlisted  'for  three  years  or  during  the 
war,'  and  did  not  intend  to  take  them  off  until  they  were 
discharged.  Noticeable  above  all  others  were  two,  a  colonel 
and  surgeon  in  jockey  suits  of  red  and  white.  They  were 
both  Irish,  and  I  presume  good  riders,  but  as  my  know 
ledge  of  their  style  is  derived  from  the  pictures  of  Derby 
day  and  fox  hunting,  I  do  not  consider  myself  competent 
to  judge,  but  will  venture  the  remark  that  it  was  neither 
elegant  nor  graceful. 

"Meanwhile  General  Sickles  and  staff  reached  the  ground, 
and  the  platform  commenced  to  fill.  Prominent  in  the  fore 
ground  were  several  real  live  women,  be-silkcd,  be-furrcd,  and 
bonneted  like  those  of  a  more  civilized  state,  showing  us  at 


128  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

once  they  were  not  indigenous  to  the  soil.  Another  equally 
curious  curiosity  was  a  citizen,  with  a  tall  black  hat,  who 
the  crowd  said  was  his  Excellency  Governor  Curtin.  Know 
ing  he  was  here  '  expressing  his  satisfaction  at  the  discipline 
and  efficiency  of  the  army,'  (which  he  probably  knows  as 
much  about  as  you  do,)  I  was  content  to  believe,  and 
gazed  and  wondered  how  Pennsylvanians  could  be  unhappy 
while  Heaven  left  them  Governor  Curtin.  A  faint  cheering 
was  heard  in  the  distance,  and  in  a  moment  General 
Hooker  and  staff  dashed  down  amid  what  newspaper  cor 
respondents  will  doubtless  call  a  '  storm  of  huzzas.'  They 
dismounted  their  horses  and  mounted  the  platform,  and  soon 
General  Stoneman  and  his  crowd  appeared  and  did  like 
wise.  But  to  enumerate  all  the  generals  who  were  there 
would  be  to  tell  over  half  the  sins  of  the  administration,  and 
besides  there  is  not  time,  for  the  first  race  is  about  to  begin. 
"General  Meagher,  Colonel  Von  Schaik,  Prince  Salm  Salm, 
and  several  other  officers,  entered  horses  for  the  first  heat, 
best  two  in  three.  After,  several  notes  from  a  bugle, 
they  started  and  rushed  by,  taking  the  first  ditch  and  hur 
dle  splendidly,  but  not  running  at  a  very  rapid  rate.  On 
they  went,  and  when,  by  stretching  our  necks  forward,  we 
could  see  them  no  longer,  we  turned  about  and  they  soon 
came  in  view  behind  us.  One  was  missing.  Hip,  hip,  they 
went,  over  ditches  and  hurdles,  until  at  the  last  ditch  one 
went  down  and  the  rider  went  over,  but  was  up  again  be 
fore  we  could  see  it,  saving  his  distance  and  coming  in 
second  best.  Colonel  Von  Schaik  won  easily,  for  he  rode  a 
splendid  English  hunter.  The  second  heat  but  four  started, 
and  Salm  Salm,  who  came  down  slam  slam  and  broke  a  rib 
or  two,  wished  to  be  excused.  This  time  there  were  no 


CAMP,  LIFE.  129 

accidents,  and  again  the  colonel  won  easily.  The  second  race 
was  open  to  all  officers.  Four  or  five  entered,  two  being  first- 
class  specimens  of  the  New  York  Mose,  not  caring  if  they 
broke  their  necks  if  they  had  their  fun,  and  with  horses 
which  they  never  tried  at  jumping,  and,  perhaps,  which  they 
never  mounted  before.  One  pulled  off  his  coat,  exhibiting  a 
shirt  slightly  torn,  which  a  brother  officer  importuned  him  to 
cover,  without  effect ;  for  '  don't  I  look  good  enough  without 
a  coat,  sa — ay?'  Well,  they  started:  some  went  round  and 
some  did  not,  but  luckily  none  met  with  any  accident.  The 
next  race  was  a  straight  one — no  jumping — in  which  one  of 
the  riders  was  thrown  and  at  first  reported  killed.  Colonel 
Collis,  of  Philadelphia,  also  came  down,  his  horse  falling 
and  rolling  completely  over.  The  horse  came  in  alone,  and 
raised  a  storm  of  yells,  which  were  not  diminished  when 
the  colonel  arrived  on  another  animal,  his  Zouave  uniform 
covered  on  one  side,  from  head  to  foot,  with  mud,  showing 
he  had  measured  his  length.  Then  there  was  a  sack-race, 
which  you  know  is  a  very  funny  affair,  and  a  foot-race 
between  three  men;  after  which  there  was  some  shinning  a 
greased  pole,  for  a  greenback  which  was  fixed  at  the  top, 
which  would  have  done  credit  to  a  Wall  street  broker. 
The  man  who  reached  it  took  something  which  he  had 
tied  around  his  neck,  and,  when  he  reached  the  spot  where 
the  former  aspirants  failed,  rubbed  off  the  grease  and  made 
good  his  hold.  The  whole  concluded  with  an  encounter 
the  like  of  which  is  not  spoken  of  in  any  of  the  books  of 
history,  so  far  as  my  reading  has  progressed  and  my  know 
ledge  of  the  Grecian  games  extends*  Shades  of  the  Gladia 
tors  !  did  ye  witness  it  ]  Two  men  were  pinioned  in  the 

17 


130  DAVID    BELL    BIRNET. 

manner  which  is  known  among  soldiers  as  bucking,  and  is 
used  as  punishment,  and  which  was,  in  my  boyish  days, 
familiar  under  the  name  of  'rotten  egg.'  Thus  pinioned 
they  were  set  to  butting  each  other,  looking  very  like  two 
enormous  Shanghaies  fighting;  when  one  tumbled  over  they 
set  him  up  again,  until  he  was  satisfied.  From  pit  and 
private  boxes  alike  the  contest  was  greeted  with  shouts  of 
laughter,  and  watched  with  intense  interest. 

"We  scattered  pell-mell.  If  ten  thousand  times  ten  thou 
sand  'greybacks'  had  been  after  us,  the  distribution  could 
not  have  been  accelerated.  Some  adjourned  to  General  Bir- 
ney's  headquarters  to  eat,  drink  and  be  merry,  but  you  must 
be  content  to  gallop  back  to  my  humble  tent,  (for  I  have 
no  invitation,)  talk  over  the  events  of  the  day  there,  and 
wonder  at  the  glory  of  a  soldier's  life,  especially  of  the 
superlative  glory  attending  those  who  are  so  fortunate  as 
to  have  their  names  enrolled  as  'soldiers  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.' ' 

The  foregoing  descriptions  have  been  inserted  at  length, 
because  they  were  prepared  by  eye-witnesses,  and  form 
part  of  the  current  literature  of  the  day.  They  are  part  of 
the  history  of  the  first  division  of  the  Third  Army  Corps, 
which  would  be  incomplete  if  nothing  but  its  conduct  in 
action  were  narrated.  The  descriptions  may  seem  trivial 
to  the  general  reader,  but  the  scenes  they  portray  were 
great  events  to  the  soldiers  who  witnessed  them.  Few 
men  understood  better  than  General  Birney  how  to  appeal 
to  the  weak  side  of  human  nature,  and  to  elicit  from  his 
men  a  ready  response  to  his  commands,  in  return  for  what 
the  severely  practical  commander  would  designate  as  trifles. 


OHAISrOELLOESYILLE. 

[HE  amusements  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
were  soon  interrupted  by  a  forward  move 
ment  of  the  army,  which,  under  the  direc 
tion  of  General  Hooker,  who  had  succeeded 
General  Burnsidc,  commenced  on  the  27th 
of  April,  1863;  when  the  Fifth,  Eleventh 
and  Twelfth  Corps,  broke  camp  and  marched  westward  from 
Falmouth  towards  Kelly's  ford.  On  the  29th  the  Third 
Corps  struck  their  tents  and  marched  by  a  route  through 
ravines  to  a  position  about  five  miles  below  Fredericksburg, 
on  the  Eappahannock  river.  Here  the  men  bivouacked  for 
the  night,  and  on  the  30th  of  April  General  Birney  received 
an  order  to  advance  his  command  to  a  bridge  over  the 
Kappahannock,  in  rear  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  which  had  just 
passed  over  the  river.  Here  the  division  remained  until 
two  o'clock,  P.  M.,  when  General  Sickles  sent  an  order  to 
General  Birney  to  march  the  division  to  the  United  States 
ford,  some  fifteen  miles  distant,  and  cross  the  river  by  half 
past  seven  o'clock  the  next  morning,  Friday,  May  1st, 
taking  care  to  move  through  the  ravines,  thus  concealing 
the  movement  from  the  enemy.  By  half  past  eleven 
o'clock,  P.  M.,  the  division  reached  Hammets,  on  the 
Warrenton  turnpike,  and  there  bivouacked.  At  half  past 
five  the  next  morning,  the  march  was  resumed,  and  at  half 

(131) 


132  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

past  seven,  as  per  orders,  the  division  crossed  the  bridge 
over  the  Rappahannock,  and  marched  on  to  Chanccllorsvillc, 
which  they  reached  about  eleven,  A.  M.,  and  awaited  orders. 
Around  Chanccllorsville  was  fought  one  of  the  most 
memorable  battles  of  the  rebellion.  The  Army  of  the 
Potomac  was  under  its  third  commander,  and  since  its 
success  at  the  battle  of  Antictam  its  movements  had  been 
reverses.  The  country  watched  the  preparations  for  the 
movements  which  culminated  in  the  battle  of  Chancellors- 
ville  anxiously  and  attentively,  hoping  and  believing  they 
would  result  in  the  surrender  or  destruction  of  the  rebel 
army.  General  Stoneman,  with  his  cavalry,  had  been  sent 
to  General  Lee's  rear,  to  intercept  his  retreat,  and  the 
press  of  the  country  predicted  the  end  of  the  rebellion. 
But  the  end  was  not  yet.  General  Hooker,  like  General 
Burnsidc,  was  compelled  to  rccross  the  Rappahannock  after 
the  battle,  and  the  army  again  went  into  camp.  The  sacri 
fice  of  life  during  the  action  was  fearful,  and  the  mortality 
among  the  officers  was  greater  perhaps  than  in  any  preceding 
one.  The  rebels,  remembering  their  success  at  Fredericks- 
burg,  fought  with  desperation,  and  our  troops  were  eventually 
compelled  to  fall  back.  Among  others  who  fell  during  this 
battle  were  Major-general  Berry,  of  Maine,  who  commanded 
the  second  division,  and  Brigadier-general  Whipple,  who 
commanded  the  third  division,  of  the  Third  Corps.  When 
the  telegraph  announced  the  death  of  General  Berry,  by  a 
slight  alteration  in  the  letters  of  the  name,  the  telegrams  to 
the  different  cities  throughout  the  Union  announced  that 
General  Birney  had  been  mortally  wounded,  and  his  friends 
for  one  day  suffered  under  the  painful  belief  that  he  had 


IANGELLORSVILL-  133 

fallen  a  prey  to  some  rebel  missile.  Their  relief  was  great 
when  they  learned  the  next  day  that  Birney  had  been 
spared.  The  writer  on  that  day  was  in  Boston,  and  remem 
bers  well  the  sensation  in  the  community  which  this  report 
caused,  for  Birney,  even  at  that  time,  was  one  of  the  most 
prominent  of  the  division  commanders  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  his  reputation  extended  far  beyond  the  circle 
of  his  own  personal  friends  and  acquaintances. 

The  clearing  in  the  woods  called  Chancellorsville  takes 
its  name  from  the  principal  landed  proprietor  in  the  vicinity. 
It  is  located  at  the  intersection  of  the  Fredericksburg  and 
Orange  Court  House  plank  road,  leading  from  Fredericks- 
burg  to  Gordonsville,  and  the  Wilderness  road,  leading  from 
the  Rappahannock  river  southwardly,  towards  Spottsylvania 
Court  House.  From  Chancellorsville  there  is  a  road  lead 
ing  northeasterly  to  Banks'  ford  on  the  Rappahannock,  and 
another  leading  north  to  the  United  States  ford,  over  which 
General  Birney  had  crossed  with  his  division.  General 
Hooker's  headquarters  were  in  the  large  brick  house  at  the 
intersection  of  the  roads. 

When  General  Birney  came  up  with  his  division,  the  line 
of  battle  was  being  formed,  and  the  officers  were  getting 
their  men  in  readiness  for  the  conflict  which,  for  three  days, 
took  place  between  the  contending  armies.  General  Birney 
formed  his  division  immediately  in  rear  of  General  Hooker's 
headquarters,  and  at  one  o'clock,  under  orders  from  General 
Sickles,  sent  Lieutenant  Briscoe,  of  his  staff,  with  Graham's 
brigade  and  TurnbiuTs  battery,  about  two  miles  out  the 
plank  road  to  report  to  General  Howard,  who  commanded 
the  Eleventh  Corps.  AVhcn  they  arrived,  General  Howard 


134  DAVID   BELL   BIRNEY. 

told  General  Graham  that  the  sending  of  the  brigade  and 
battery  was  certainly  a  mistake,  as  his  own  force  was  ample, 
and  their  presence  would  interfere  with  the  disposition  of 
his  own  troops.  This  was  reported  to  General  Sickles,  who 
ordered  the  troops  to  remain  for  the  time  being  where  they 
were.  About  five  o'clock  an  attack  was  made  by  the  enemy 
along  that  part  of  the  line,  in  front  of  General  Hooker's 
headquarters,  held  by  the  Twelfth  Corps,  under  General 
Slocum.  General  Birney  at  once  ordered  back  Graham's 
brigade  and  TurnbuH's  battery,  and  led  forward  Ward's 
and  Hayman's  brigades  of  his  division  up  the  plank  road. 
When  General  Graham  rejoined  the  division,  his  brigade 
was  assigned  to  the  support  of  one  of  General  Slocum's 
batteries,  and  there  subjected  to  a  heavy  artillery  fire  with 
out  the  power  of  resisting  it. 

General  Birney  went  further  up  the  plank  road,  to  the 
line  occupied  by  the  Twelfth  Corps,  and  learning  from  Gen 
erals  Williams  and  Knipes,  of  General  Slocum's  command, 
that  the  right  of  their  line  was  weak,  he  replaced  two  of 
their  regiments  with  the  Twentieth  Indiana  and  Thirty- 
seventh  New  York  volunteers,  of  his  command,  dislodged 
the  enemy  from  a  house  in  a  field  in  his  front,  and  lay 
under  arms  all  night. 

At  daylight  on  Saturday,  May  2d,  after  consultation  with 
General  Howard,  commanding  the  Eleventh  Corps,  which 
was  on  his  right,  General  Birney  occupied  the  line  south 
of  the  road,  through  the  woods,  and  connected  with  the 
left  of  the  Eleventh  Corps,  and  at  this  time  General  Gra 
ham  coming  up  with  his  brigade,  the  division  was  again 
complete.  About  eight  o'clock,  Birney  ascertained  that  a 


CHANCELLORSVILLE.  135 

continuous  column  of  infantry,  with  trains  and  ambulances, 
was  passing  to  the  right,  along  his  front.  Ordering  up  a 
section  of  Clark's  rifled  battery,  he  opened  upon  the  column. 
The  shots  fell  with  telling  effect,  causing  the  column  to 
double-quick,  and  throwing  it  into  confusion.  The  other 
section  of  the  battery  was  then  ordered  forward,  and  soon 
stopped  the  further  passage  of  the  trains.  The  rest  of  this 
movement  is  well-described  by  T.  M.  Cook,  Esq.,  the  New 
York  Herald  correspondent,  in  a  letter  written  from  the 
scene  of  action,  and  published  May  7th,  1863 : — 

"When  the  train  was  stopped,  General  Sickles  conceived 
the  idea  of  obtaining  possession  of  the  road  over  which  it 
had  been  moving,  and  thus  preventing  any  further  opera 
tions  of  the  enemy  in  that  direction.  With  this  purpose  in 
view  he  ordered  Birney  to  advance  and  take  possession  of 
the  hill  on  the  south  side  of  the  ravine  running  out  back 
from  the  farm,  and  opposite  to  the  heights  over  which  the 
road  occupied  by  the  rebels  ran.  The  Berdan  Sharpshooters 
were  placed  in  the  advance  of  this  movement,  supported  by 
the  Twentieth  Indiana  regiment.  These  deployed  as  skir 
mishers,  advanced  across  the  farm,  and  then  up  the  hill 
through  a  densely  tangled  mass  of  underbrush,  skirmishing 
with  the  enemy  at  every  step,  who  were  found  to  be  in 
considerable  force  on  the  slope  as  well  as  on  the  summit. 
As  soon  as  the  skirmishers  had  crossed  the  field,  the  main 
column  was  ordered  to  advance,  General  Birney  placing  him 
self  at  their  head.  Before  crossing  Scott's  run,  it  became 
necessary  to  throw  a  bridge  across  it,  in  case  artillery  should 
be  needed  on  the  heights.  This  work  was  so  rapidly  done 
by  the  sappers  and  miners  of  Graham's  brigade  as  to  cause 


136  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

but  a  few  minutes  delay,  and  before  the  enemy  could  pre 
pare  for  them  the  whole  force  was  on  the  top  of  the  hill. 
The  summit  was  found  to  be  covered  with  a  bushy  second 
growth  of  timber  that  was  extremely  difficult  of  passage, 
and  rendered  observation  entirely  out  of  the  question.  The 
force  was  liable  to  be  ambuscaded  at  every  moment  in  this 
tangled  thicket.  There  was,  it  is  true,  a  little  winding 
country  road  leading  through  this  brush,  but  nothing  more, 
and  that  scarcely  wide  enough  for  an  ox-cart  to  pass 
through.  Still  the  column  was  pushed  forward,  constantly 
skirmishing  with  and  driving  back  the  enemy,  until  at  last 
they  came  upon  a  system  of  rifle-pits,  in  which  the  enemy 
made  a  desperate  stand.  At  this  point,  too,  the  enemy 
were  strengthened  by  a  field  battery,  planted  at  some  point 
back,  which  our  forces  could  not  then  discover,  and  from 
which  they  continued  to  throw  shells  into  the  woods, 
though,  fortunately,  hurting  no  one.  Still  the  shelling  was 
excessively  annoying,  and  a  battery  was  ordered  up  to  reply 
to  it.  Lieutenant  TurnbiuTs  battery,  United  States  artillery, 
and  one  section  of  Captain  Randolph's  First  Rhode  Island 
battery,  were  quickly  in  position  three-quarters  of  a  mile  out 
on  the  little  road  over  the  hill,  and  entered  into  a  brisk 
duel  with  the  rebel  artillery,  though  neither  party  was  able 
to  see  the  other.  Unfortunately,  when  this  battery  was  or 
dered  up  the  hiU  there  was  no  time  allowed  it  to  procure  a 
supply  of  ammunition.  It  could,  therefore,  work  but  a  short 
time,  and  in  twenty -minutes  was  obliged  to  retire  to  replen 
ish  its  caissons.  During  the  short  time  it  was  engaged  six 
of  its  men  were  more  or  less  wounded. 

"At  this  juncture  General  Birney  ordered  a  charge  upon 


CHANCELLORSVILLE.  137 

the  rebel  rifle-pits,  which  were  quickly  cleared,  about  a  hun 
dred  of  their  occupants  falling  into  our  hands  as  prisoners. 
With  the  annoyance  of  musketry  thus  stopped,  our  men 
found  less  difficulty  in  advancing,  the  enemy's  artillery  doing 
but  little  damage  to  us.  But  even  this  was  destined  to 
be  quickly  ended.  Colonel  Bcrdan  had  worked  his  little 
sharpshooter  brigade  close  up  to  the  battery  under  cover  of 
the  bushes,  when,  ascertaining  its  exact  position,  he  dis 
posed  his  little  force  to  capture  it.  Dividing  them  quietly 
into  three  parties,  he  moved  a  party  forward  to  either  side 
of  the  battery,  and  then  charged  it  from  in  front  with  the 
third  party,  himself  leading  them.  The  battery  was  sup 
ported  by  the  Twenty-eighth  Georgia  regiment,  all  of  whom 
that  were  to  be  seen,  about  two  hundred  and  seventy  in 
number,  threw  down  their  arms  at  the  first  challenge  to 
surrender,  and  were  marched  to  the  rear  as  prisoners.  In 
the  excitement  of  securing  so  considerable  a  body  of  pris 
oners,  the  battery  was  for  the  moment  lost  sight  of,  an 
opportunity  which  the  rebel  gunners  improved  to  fly,  taking 
every  thing  with  them  but  a  single  caisson. 

"We  had  now  reached  the  extreme  brow  of  the  hill,  and 
had  driven  the  rebels  back  fully  a  mile.  We  had  obtained  a 
commanding  position,  overlooking  the  opposite  range,  across 
which  the  rebel  road  ran.  At  this  point  there  was  quite 
an  opening  in  the  timber  and  a  large  frame  building,  re 
cently  erected  by  the  rebels  for  a  foundry,  at  which  it  was 
evident  they  had  recently  been  casting  shot  and  shell,  manu 
facturing  gun-carriages,  limbers  and  caissons,  and  doing  other 
handy  jobs  in  that  line  essential  to  warfare.  It  was  a  good 
point  gained,  and  one  that  ought  to  have  been  held.  But 

18 


138  DAVLD     BELL    BIKNEY. 

it  was  by  no  means  a  pleasant  position  at  that  particular 
time.  The  woods  covering  the  face  of  the  opposite  hills 
were  filled  with  rebel  sharpshooters,  who  lost  no  opportu 
nity  of  picking  off  any  one  who  chanced  to  show  himself. 
Berdan  posted  a  portion  of  his  famous  command  about  the 
foundry  and  behind  the  trees  in  that  vicinity,  and  com 
menced  duelling  at  long  range — a  practice  in  which,  if  the 
rebels  did  not  suffer  more  than  we,  their  loss  was  very 
immaterial. 

"Another  party  of  our  sharpshooters,  together  with  the 
Twentieth  Indiana,  moved  forward,  still  pressing  on  farther 
away  from  our  main  line.  They  skirmished  along  up  the 
easterly  slope  of  the  hill  we  had  gained  until  the  road 
crossed  the  ravine  and  entered  the  road  that  had  been 
used  by  the  enemy,  at  a  little  white  farmhouse  full  half 
a  mile  from  the  foundry.  This  was  the  limit  that  it  was 
desirable  to  reach  at  that  time,  and  General  Birney  ordered 
Colonel  Hayman  to  advance  his  brigade — the  third — to  that 
position.  A  battery  was  also  ordered  up  to  take  position  at 
the  foundry  and  shell  the  opposite  woods.  General  Sickles, 
at  this  time,  was  present  on  the  hill,  directing  operations  gen- 
terally,  and  while  standing  by  the  foundry  in  conversation 
with  General  Birney  had  a  very  narrow  escape.  The  two 
generals,  with  a  squad  of  their  respective  staffs,  were  stand 
ing  out  upon  the  brow  of  the  hill  in  plain  sight  of  the 
rebels,  when  one  of  their  sharpshooters  marked  them  and 
fired.  The  ball  whizzed  through  between  the  two  generals, 
narrowly  escaping  General  Sickles,  as  indicated  by  the  sen 
sible  puff  of  wind  it  produced  in  passing. 

"During    the    progress    of   the    movements    that    I    have 


CHANCELLORSVILLE.  139 

attempted  to  describe  above,  General  Sickles  had  kept  Gen 
eral  Hooker  constantly  acquainted  with  his  position  and 
advances.  The  latter  frequently,  during  the  afternoon,  sent 
up  word  that  Sickles  was  going  too  fast  and  venturing  too 
far;  he  should  move  slower.  General  Sickles  had  applied 
for  support  for  his  movements,  but  had  not  succeeded  in 
getting  any,  even  from  his  own  corps,  until  the  eleventh 
hour,  when  permission  was  accorded  him  to  advance  Gen 
eral  Whipple  to  General  Birney's  support.  Application  had 
been  made  to  have  General  Berry  also  moved  up;  but 
General  Hooker  replied  that  the  enemy  were  massing  a 
strong  force  in  front  of  the  headquarters,  and  he  needed 
Berry  in  that  vicinity  in  case  of  an  attack.  But  when  it 
was  reported  at  headquarters  that  Birney  had  really  gained 
the  heights  and  was  in  possession  of  so  desirable  a  situa 
tion,  General  Hooker  immediately  consented  to  ordering  up 
all  the  support  needed. 

"  The  Eleventh  Corps,  lying  in  the  rear  of  Birney's  right, 
was  thereupon  directed  to  advance  and  join  its  left  flank  to 
Birney's  right,  and  the  Twelfth  Corps  was  also  ordered  up 
on  the  left.  General  Whipple,  who  had  arrived  on  the 
ground  with  his  division,  was  directed  to  charge  simulta 
neously  with  the  others,  moving  up  the  ravine.  General 
Williams'  division  of  the  Twelfth  Corps,  in  moving  up, 
would  come  directly  on  to  the  hill  from  which  Birney  had 
-been  so  much  annoyed  by  sharpshooters.  There  appeared 
to  be  no  greater  obstacle  in  their  way  than  this,  and  the 
column  was  deployed  at  the  crossing  of  Scott's  creek  and 
moved  into  the  woods,  taking  proper  precautions  in  keep 
ing  a  good  line  of  skirmishers  in  advance.  They  had  not 


140  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

advanced  a  hundred  yards  into  the  woods  when  their  skir. 
mishers  became  engaged  with  those  of  the  enemy,  the  latter, 
however,  gradually  falling  back.  The  main  line  pressed 
hard  on  after  the  skirmishers,  keeping  always  within  close 
supporting  distance,  although  the  nature  of  the  country  was 
the  most  impracticable  that  could  be  selected  for  the  ad 
vance  of  a  column  in  line  of  battle.  But  still  they  went 
forward,  and  had  advanced  about  half  way  up  the  hill, 
when  they  came  face  to  face  with  the  rebels  drawn  up  in 
two  lines  of  great  strength.  An  engagement  ensued  at 
once,  our  men  charging  boldly  on  the  rebel  lines.  Then 
commenced  the  first  real  action  of  the  day.  The  enemy 
held  their  ground  obstinately,  replying  to  volley  with  volley, 
and  contesting  the  ground  with  perfect  desperation. 

Wherever  we  came  in  contact  with  them  they  outnum 
bered  us  greatly;  but  the  brave  men  who  attacked  them 
never  stopped  to  consider  the  heavy  odds  that  existed 
against  them.  Rapidly  they  loaded  and  quickly  fired  their 
pieces,  taking  care  always  that  their  aim  was  not  wild,  but 
effective.  Under  their  sure  aim,  the  enemy  quailed,  and 
finally  the  first  line  gave  way  and  fell  back  upon  the 
second.  Our  men  gave  a  shout  of  triumph  and  pressed 
on  anew,  determined  to  carry  the  heights.  But  the  enemy 
were  as  determined  to  hold  them,  and  with  a  powerful 
line  of  fresh  troops  their  advantages  were  greatly  increased. 
Our  men,  borne  down  with  heat  and  fatigue,  began  to  show 
evidences  of  faltering,  which  was  promptly  observed  by  their 
commander,  and  the  column  was  ordered  to  fall  back.  It 
was  manifestly  an  impossibility  for  them  to  carry  the  posi 
tion  in  that  condition  by  a  direct  attack,  and  to  hold  the 


CIIANCELLORSVILLE.  141 

men  under  fire  after  they  were  persuaded  of  their  inability 
to  accomplish  the  task  would  only  prove  disastrous.  By 
ordering  them  back  at  the  first  indication  of  discourage 
ment,  General  Williams  displayed  his  good  generalship  and 
saved  his  fine  division,  bringing  them  off  in  the  most  per 
fect  good  order.  It  is  probable  that,  had  "Whipple  been  a 
little  more  prompt  in  advancing  his  column  upon  Williams' 
right,  both  divisions  would  have  accomplished  the  task 
assigned  them.  But  for  some  unexplained  reason  Whipplc's 
division  did  not  get  fairly  in  motion  before  Williams  was 
hotly  engaged,  and  the  enemy  were  enabled  to  throw  all 
their  available  force  in  that  vicinity  directly  in  his  front; 
and  afterwards,  when  Williams  had  retired  and  Whipple 
advanced,  the  same  powerful  combination  of  force  met  him 
and  drove  him  back. 

"  But  the  climax  of  the  disaster  was  not  yet  reached. 
The  Eleventh  Corps  had  been  ordered  to  advance  on  the 
right  of  Birney,  and  moved  forward  to  take  the  position 
assigned  to  them  on  Birney  Js  flank.  One  brigade  succeeded 
in  getting  up  the  hill,  and  reported,  by  its  commander,  to 
General  Birney.  The  rest  of  the  corps  met  the  enemy  in 
force  when  about  two-thirds  of  the  distance  up.  Here  they 
had  a  short  engagement,  in  which  it  docs  not  appear  that 
they  had  even  so  large  a  force  to  contend  against  as  that 
which  Williams,  with  his  single  division,  had  fought  so 
bravely.  Headed  by  their  commander,  the  gallant  Howard, 
the  German  corps  charged  boldly  up  to  the  rebel  lines. 
Here  they  were  met,  as  the  rebels  always  meet  their  foe, 
with  shouts  of  defiance  and  derision,  a  determined  front  and 
a  heavy  fire  of  musketry.  The  German  regiments  returned 


142  DAVID    BELL    BIRNET. 

the  fire  for  a  short  time  with  spirit,  manifesting  a  disposition 
to  fight  valiantly.  But  at  the  time  when  all  the  encourage 
ment  to  the  men  was  needed  that  could  be  given,  then 
some  officer  of  the  division  (one  at  least,  as  I  am  informed) 
fell  back  to  the  rear,  leaving  the  men  to  fight  alone.  At 
the  same  time  General  Devens,  commanding  the  first 
division,  was  unhorsed  and  badly  wounded  in  his  foot  by 
a  musket  ball.  Thus  losing  at  a  critical  moment  the  in 
spiriting  influence  of  the  immediate  presence  of  their  com 
manders,  the  men  began  to  falter,  then  to  fall  back,  and 
finally  broke  in  a  complete  rout.  General  Howard  boldly 
threw  himself  into  the  breach  and  attempted  to  rally  the 
shattered  columns ;  but  his  efforts  were  perfectly  futile.  The 
men  were  panic-stricken,  and  no  power  on  earth  could  rally 
them  in  the  face  of  the  enemy.  Information  of  the  catas 
trophe  was  promptly  communicated  to  General  Sickles,  who 
thus  had  a  moment  given  him  to  prepare  for  the  shock  he 
instantly  apprehended  his  column  must  suffer.  The  high 
land  of  the  little  farm  that  formed  the  base  of  his  opera 
tions  was  parked  full  of  artillery  and  cavalry — nearly  all  the 
artillery  of  the  Third  Corps,  together  with  Pleasanton's 
cavalry,  being  crowded  into  that  little  fifty-acre  enclosure. 
But  Sickles  was  not  to  be  thrown  off  his  guard  by  a  trifle, 
and  any  thing  short  of  a  complete  defeat  seemed  to  be  con 
sidered  by  him  in  the  light  of  a  trifle.  With  the  coolness 
and  skill  of  a  veteran  of  a  hundred  campaigns,  he  set  to 
work  making  his  dispositions.  He  had  not  a  single  regi 
ment  within  his  reach  to  support  his  artillery;  Whipple  was 
falling  back,  and  must  meet  the  approaching  stampede  with 
his  own  force  in  retreat ;  Birney  was  far  out  in  the  advance, 


CHANCELLOKSVILLE.  143 

in  imminent  danger  of  being  completely  surrounded  and 
annihilated;  the  rebel  forces  were  pressing  hard  upon  the 
flying  Germans,  who  could  only  escape  by  rushing  across 
his  lines,  with  every  prospect  of  communicating  the  panic 
to  them.  It  was  a  critical  moment  indeed,  and  one  that 
might  well  stagger  even  the  bravest-hearted.  But  it  did 
not  stagger  the  citizen  soldier.  Calling  to  one  after  another 
of  his  staff,  he  sent  them  all  off,  lest  any  should  fail  of 
getting  through,  to  warn  Birncy  of  his  danger  and  order 
him  to  fall  back.  Then  turning  to  General  Plcasanton, 
he  directed  him  to  take  charge  of  the  artillery,  and  train 
it  all  upon  the  woods  encircling  the  field,  and  support  it 
with  his  cavalry,  to  hold  the  rebels  in  check  should  they 
come  on  him,  and  himself  dashed  off  to  meet  Whipple, 
then  just  emerging  from  the  woods  in  the  bottom  land. 
He  had  scarcely  turned  his  horse  about  when  the  flying 
Germans  came  dashing  over  the  fields  in  crowds,  meeting 
the  head  of  Whipple's  column  and  stampeding  through 
his  lines,  running  as  only  men  do  run  when  convinced 
that  sure  destruction  is  awaiting  them.  At  the  same 
moment  large  masses  of  the  rebel  infantry  came  dashing 
through  the  woods,  on  the  north  and  west,  close  up  to 
the  field,  and  opened  a  tremendous  fire  of  musketry  into 
the  confused  mass  of  men  and  animals.  To  add  to  the 
confusion  and  terror  of  the  occasion,  night  was  rapidly  ap 
proaching  and  darkness  was  beginning  to  obscure  all  things. 
"  I  must  frankly  confess  that  I  have  no  ability  to  do  jus 
tice  to  the  scene  that  followed.  It  was  my  lot  to  be  in 
the  centre  of  that  field  when  the  panic  burst  upon  it. 
May  I  never  be  a  witness  to  another  such  scene.  On  one 


144  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

hand  was  a  solid   column  of  infantry  retreating   at   double 
quick  from  the  face  of  the  enemy,  who  were  already  crowd 
ing  their  rear;    on  the   other  was  a  dense  mass  of  beings 
who   had    lost    their    reasoning    faculties,    and   were    flying 
from  a  thousand  fancied  dangers,  as  well  as  from  the  real 
danger  that   crowded   so   close  upon  them,  aggravating  the 
fearfulncss  of  their  situation  by  the  very  precipitancy  with 
which  they  were  seeking  to   escape  from  it.      On  the  hill 
were  ten  thousand  of  the  enemy,  pouring  their  murderous 
volleys   in   upon   us,    yelling    and    hooting,   to   increase   the 
alarm  and  confusion;   hundreds  of  cavalry  horses,  left  rider 
less   at   the   first   discharge   from   the    rebels,  were   dashing 
frantically  about   in  all  directions;    a  score   of  batteries    of 
artillery  were  thrown  into  disorder,  some,  properly  manned, 
seeking  to  gain  positions  for  effective  duty,  and  others  fly 
ing  from  the  field;  battery-wagons,  ambulances,  horses,  men, 
cannon,   caissons,   all  jumbled   and   tumbled   together  in  an 
apparently  inextricable   mass,   and   that   murderous  fire  still 
pouring  in  upon  them.     To  add  to   the  terror  of  the   occa 
sion,   there  was   but   one   means    of  escape   from   the   field, 
and   that   through    a   little    narrow  neck    or   ravine  washed 
oat    by    Scott's    creek.      Towards    this    the    confused    mass 
plunged    headlong.      For   a   moment    it    seemed    as    if   no 
power  could  avert  the  frightful  calamity  that  threatened  the 
entire  army.     That  neck  passed,  and  this  panic-stricken,  dis 
ordered  body  of  men  and  animals,  permitted  to  pass  down 
through  the   other  corps  of  the   army,  our   destruction  was 
sure.     But  in  the  midst  of  that  wildest  alarm  there  was  a 
cool   head.      That   threatened   calamity  was   averted   by  the 
determined  self-possession  of  Major-general  Daniel  E.  Sickles. 


CHANCELLORSVILLE.  145 

Spurring  his  horse  forward  he  forced  his  way  through  the 
tangled  mass  and  entered  this  narrow  neck.  Across  this 
neck  there  runs  a  strong  brick  wall,  behind  -which  the 
forces  of  Generals  Williams  and  Berry  had  already  thrown 
themselves  preparatory  to  meeting  the  enemy.  On  one 
flank  of  the  wall  was  the  deeply  sunken  bed  of  the  creek, 
impassable  for  any  species  of  vehicle,  and  scarcely  safe  for 
men.  At  the  upper  end  of  the  wall  was  a  narrow  gate 
way,  the  only  opening  to  be  found.  To  this  point  General 
Sickles  picked  his  way,  and  there,  drawing  his  sword, 
blocked  the  passage  with  himself  and  horse.  On  came  the 
panic-stricken  crowd,  terrified  artillery  riders  spurring  and 
lashing  their  horses  to  their  utmost;  riderless  horses  dash 
ing  along  regardless  of  all  obstacles;  ambulances  upsetting 
and  being  clashed  to  pieces  against  trees  and  stumps;  men 
flying  and  crying  with  alarm — a  perfect  torrent  of  passion, 
apparently  uncontrollable.  But  against  all  the  brave  Gen 
eral  threw  himself,  and,  by  his  determined  action,  brought 
the  first  heavy  mass — a  cannon  drawn  by  six  horses,  well- 
mounted — to  a  halt,  and  blockaded  the  passage.  Others 
dashed  up  behind  and  crowded  upon  the  first,  their  drivers 
cursing  and  swearing  and  calling  to  the  foremost  to  go  on. 
The  loose  horses  jumped  the  stone  wall,  and  the  flying 
men  scrambled  over  it,  utterly  oblivious  to  the  fact  that 
the  opposite  side  was  crowded  with  men  whose  lives  were 
thus  doubly  endangered.  But  by  the  blockade  of  the  main 
passage  the  stampede  of  the  artillery  and  cavalry  had  been 
principally  checked.  Once  halted,  reason  began  to  return  to 
those  who  had  previously  lost  it,  and  much  of  the  artillery, 
properly  manned,  was  quickly  brought  back  upon  the  field. 

19 


146  DAVID    BETLL    BIRNEY. 

"In  the  meantime,  Pleasanton,  in  obedience  to  the  orders 
received  from  General  Sickles,  had  mustered  two  or  three 
of  the  batteries,  and  was  busily  employed  pouring  grape 
and  canister  into  the  woods  that  were  filled  with  the 
rebels.  Every  moment  his  effective  force  of  pieces  was 
increased  by  cannoniers  recovering  from  their  fright  and 
returning  to  duty,  so  that,  by  the  time  the  stampede  was 
finally  checked,  he  had  at  least  twenty-five  pieces  bearing 
directly  upon  the  enemy  in  all  directions  about  the  field, 
and  at  so  close  a  range  that  every  discharge  took  effect, 
not  upon  one  or  two,  but  upon  dozens.  The  slaughter 
here  must  have  been  beyond  count.  We  have  reason  to 
believe  that  nearly  the  whole,  if  not  the  entire  body,  of 
Hill's  force  was  in  the  attack  upon  that  little  field,  which 
must  have  filled  the  woods.  Such  an  incessant  fire  from 
so  many  pieces,  and  into  so  dense  a  mass,  could  not  have 
produced  any  ordinary  limit  of  a  slaughter.  But  it  being 
now  quite  dark,  and  as  we  never  regained  entire  possession 
of  the  woods,  where  the  enemy  were  the  thickest,  we 
have  no  means  of  knowing  how  great  the  slaughter  was. 
It  was  sufficient  to  know  that  the  enemy  was  held  in 
check,  and  Sickles'  gallant  corps  had  an  opportunity  to 
rally  from  the  disastrous  effects  of  the  shameful  stampede 
of  the  Eleventh  Corps. 

"Let  me  here  finish  with  the  Eleventh  Corps.  They 
did  not  all  fly  across  Sickles'  line.  They  dispersed  and 
ran  in  all  directions,  regardless  of  the  order  of  their  going. 
They  all  seemed  possessed  with  an  instinctive  idea  of  the 
shortest  and  most  direct  line  from  the  point  whence  they 
started  to  the  United  States  ford,  and  the  majority  of 


CHANCELLORSVILLE.  147 

them  did  not  stop  until  they  had  reached  the  ford.  Many 
of  them,  on  reaching  the  river,  dashed  in  and  swam  to 
the  north  side,  and  are  supposed  to  he  running  yet.  As 
soon  as  General  Hooker  heard  of  the  panic,  he  established 
a  line  of  guards  across  the  roads  and  stopped  all  who  were 
to  be  seen  upon  the  highways ;  but  by  far  the  greater 
portion  never  thought  of  the  roads,  but  dashed  on  through 
the  woods  until  they  reached  the  river.  It  was  no  worse 
with  privates  than  with  officers.  The  stampede  was  univer 
sal;  the  disgrace  general.  The  fugitives  were  picked  up 
the  next  day  wherever  found,  and  the  corps  was  reformed, 
but  has  not  since  been  taken  into  action. 

"In  the  midst  of  the  confusion  incident  to  this  panic 
the  brave  Birney  and  his  gallant  division  have  been  for 
gotten.  Almost  simultaneously  with  the  reception  of  the 
information  sent  him  by  General  Sickles  of  the  rout  of 
his  supports  on  the  right,  he  began  to  have  practical 
evidence  of  it;  and  before  he  could  prepare  to  retire  his 
force,  he  found  his  line  of  retreat  cut  off  by  the  reposses 
sion  by  the  rebels  of  the  road  by  which  he  had  advanced. 
In  this  dilemma  he  had  no  other  recourse  but  to  make 
a  road  out.  His  column  was  therefore  ordered  to  leave 
the  lane  and  move  quietly  down  into  the  ravine.  This 
was  successfully  accomplished,  even  the  battery  that  had 
been  taken  up  to  the  foundry  being  brought  down  the 
hill.  In  the  ravine  he  had  a  slight  skirmish  with  a 
portion  of  the  rebels  who  had  been  pursuing  Whipple, 
put  them  to  flight,  and  then  moved  his  column  out  through 
the  ravine  in  the  most  perfect  order." 

At  midnight  of  Friday,  May  2d,  General  Birney  received 


148  DAVID    BELL    BIRNET. 

an  order  from  General  Sickles  to  make  the  necessary 
dispositions  to  drive  the  enemy  from  the  woods  in  his 
front,  and  retake  the  plank  road  and  earthworks  near  it. 
Ward's  brigade  was  placed  in  the  advance,  and  Haymari's 
in  support,  one  hundred  yards  to  the  rear.  General  Birney 
ordered  every  piece  to  be  uncapped,  and  none  discharged 
until  the  plank  road  was  reached.  Upon  the  left  a  Avide 
road  had  been  cut  perpendicular  to  the  plank  road,  along 
which  the  Fortieth  New  York,  the  Seventeenth  Maine,  and 
the  Sixty-third  Pennsylvania  marched  by  column  of  com 
panies.  Slowly  and  cautiously  the  men  moved  along  this 
road  at  midnight.  No  officer  uttered  words  of  encourage 
ment;  no  drum  beat;  no  colors  waved;  no  cheer  rose  from 
the  ranks;  not  a  sound  could  be  heard  except  the  footsteps 
along  the  new-made  road,  as  they  advanced  to  the  intrcnch- 
ments  the  enemy  had  deliberately  thrown  up.  The  pale 
light  of  the  moon,  beaming  at  intervals  from  between  the 
clouds,  increased  the  effect  of  the  scene  and  photographed 
it  upon  the  memories  of  those  who  beheld  it,  in  characters 
never  to  be  forgotten. 

Add  to  this  the  flash  of  the  guns  from  the  batteries  sta 
tioned  in  the  rear  of  the  line,  which,  in  the  early  part 
of  the  evening,  concentrated  their  fire  upon  a  point  on 
the  plank  road  to  deceive  the  enemy  as  to  the  real  charac 
ter  of  the  movement.  As  the  batteries  belched  forth  their 
flames  and  lighted  up  the  landscape  with  a  death-like  hue, 
which  the  flash  of  powder  at  night  always  imparts  to  sur 
rounding  objects,  the  scene  was  grand  beyond  description. 
• 

At  a  given   signal   the   fire   of  the   batteries    ceased,   the 
men    rushed    forward    upon    the    intrenchments,    and    their 


CHANCELLORSVILLE.  149 

object  was  accomplished.  The  enemy  abandoned  the  posi 
tion  without  a  struggle,  and  soldiers  and  officers  rested  upon 
their  arms  until  daylight. 

The  importance  of  this  success  is  well  described  by  the 
army  correspondent  of  the  Boston  Journal.,  who,  under  date 
of  May  7th,  says:  "A  hundred  shots  a  minute  were  thun 
dered  from  those  thirty  cannon — one  unbroken  roll  of 
thunder,  sweeping  away  the  rebels  as  a  housewife  an  army 
of  insects  into  the  fire !  They  quailed,  halted,  fell  back — 
the  torrent  was  stemmed.  The  grand  movement  of  Jack 
son  had  been  checked.  Coolness,  nerve,  pluck,  endurance, 
had  won  the  day,  and  apparently  had  turned  the  tide  of 
destiny.  It  was  a  fierce  and  successful  assault.  Our  men 
recovered  a  portion  of  the  lost  ground,  and  gave  Hooker 
time  to  reform  his  line  for  the  great  contest  of  Sunday." 

The  loss  the  rebels  sustained  by  this  attack,  in  killed, 
wounded  and  prisoners,  in  loss  of  trains  and  stores,  was,  in 
their  estimation,  insignificant  compared  with  the  loss  they 
suffered  in  the  death  of  General  Jackson,  generally  known 
as  "  Stonewall  Jackson."  'According  to  the  Richmond  En 
quirer,  General  Jackson  was  in  command  of  the  line  in 
Birney's  front.  When  he  was  wounded,  on  Saturday  night, 
May  2d,  General  A.  P.  Hill  assumed  command  of  his  corps, 
"  but  he  in  turn  being  compelled  to  quit  the  field,  with  a 
flesh-wound,  the  command  devolved  upon  General  Rhodes." 
This  arrangement,  it  appears,  did  not  suit  the  enemy,  for 
the  correspondent  of  the  Enquirer  goes  on  to  say  that 
"General  Stuart  was  at  once  sent  for,  and  on  his  arrival 
upon  the  field  assumed  control  of  the  movement  of  Jack 
son's  corps."  Thus  this  corps  had,  during  the  midnight 


150  DAVID   BELL   BIRNET. 

attack,  four  different  commanders.  The  loss  the  enemy 
sustained  by  Jackson's  death,  according  to  the  same  corres 
pondent,  was  keenly  felt  by  General  Lee.  The  messenger 
who  carried  him  the  information  of  Jackson's  misfortune 
found  him  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  on  a  bed  of 
straw,  and  when  he  was  told  of  what  had  happened  he 
exclaimed,  "  Thank  God  it  is  no  worse !  God  be  praised 
that  he  is  still  alive !  A  ny  victory  is  a  dear  one  that  deprives 
us  of  the  services  of  Jackson,  even  for  a  short  time." 

It  is  claimed  that  Jackson  was  wounded  accidentally,  by 
one  of  his  own  men.  This  may  be  so.  It  is  possible  that 
the  truth  may  never  be  known,  but  of  one  thing  there  is 
no  doubt :  the  hand  that  fired  the  gun  that  wounded  Jack 
son,  whether  that  of  a  friend  or  of  a  foe,  would  probably 
have  been  quiet  on  May  2,  1863,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
midnight  attack  which  has  just  been  described. 

There  was  still  work  for  the  division  to  do,  and  on  Sun 
day  morning,  at  daylight,  though  the  men  had  not  had 
more  than  two  hours  rest,  they  were  again  on  the  march. 
While  changing  their  position,  'Graham's  brigade  was  at 
tacked  by  the  enemy  with  both  infantry  and  artillery.  But 
this  attack  did  not  prevent  the  veterans  from  falling  back 
in  good  order.  The  rest  of  the  story  is  well  told  by  the 
correspondent  of  the  New  York  Herald,  already  alluded  to, 
who  was  an  eye-witness  of  the  movements  he  described. 

"  A  little  before  sunrise,  while  General  Sickles  was  remov 
ing  his  two  divisions,  the  enemy  fell  upon  him  in  great 
force,  the  attack  coming  from  the  woods  on  the  northwest 
of  the  field.  The  bulk  of  the  corps  had  been  withdrawn 
from  the  field,  and  w*ere  already  in  position  at  the  designated 


CHANCELLORSYILLE.  151 

point.  A  single  brigade  each  of  Birney's  and  "Whipplc's 
division  remained,  and  these  set  their  faces  bravely  towards 
the  enemy,  and  returned  the  fire  which  was  so  uncere 
moniously  poured  upon  them. 

"Simultaneously  with  this  attack,  the  rebels  pushed  on 
down  the  plank  road  and  fell  upon  Berry's  division  at  the 
edge  of  the  woods,  and  then  upon  French,  lying  on  Berry's 
right  flank,  and  almost  in  a  moment  the  fighting  became 
general  and  intensely  hot  all  along  the  entire  left  wing  of 
the  army.  The  position  in  which  the  two  divisions  of 
Sickles'  corps  were  placed,  so  far  in  advance  of  the  rest 
of  the  army,  and  with  no  breastworks  to  shelter  them, 
was  delicate  in  the  extreme.  The  enemy,  for  the  first 
time,  brought  up  several  pieces  of  field  artillery,  with  which 
they  opened  upon  that  little  body  of  brave  men  with  a 
vigor  that  threatened  their  annihilation.  They  were  as 
sailed  by  not  less  than  twenty  thousand  of  the  enemy, 
against  whom  they  could  oppose  scarcely  more  than  five 
thousand  men  in  both  brigades  combined.  Fortunately 
there  were  one  or  two  batteries  yet  remaining  on  the 
field,  which  were  so  efficiently  worked  as  to  check  the 
advance  of  the  rebels.  Gallantly  they  fought,  many  of 
their  number  falling  upon  the  field  under  the  merciless 
fire  of  the  sheltered  foe;  but  they  would  not  run,  however 
severe  that  fire  might  be.  But  it  was  impossible  that  they 
could  stand  long  against  such  odds  as  assailed  them  here. 
For  half  an  hour  they  held  their  ground,  and  then  fell 
back  in  good  order  to  the  shelter  of  the  stone  wall 
that  divides  this  field  from  the  Chancellorsville  opening, 
dragging  their  cannon  after  them.  And  here  they  made 


152  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

another  glorious  stand.  If  some  of  them  were  left  upon 
the  upper  field,  ten  times  the  number  of  the  foe,  who  now 
advanced  from  his  shelter  and  occupied  the  ground  they 
had  vacated,  were  laid  there  to  keep  them  company.  The 
position  was  now  changed.  The  weaker  party  had  the  shel 
ter,  while  the  stronger  was  forced  to  fight  in  the  open 
field.  And  coming  into  this  field  the  rebels  also  exposed 
themselves  to  a  most  severe  raking  from  several  field  bat 
teries  planted  on  the  other  side  of  the  neck,  close  by  the 
position  of  Whipple's  division.  It  was  truly  astonishing 
how  lavish  they  were  of  human  life  and  blood.  Regi 
ment  after  regiment  was  completely  swept  away  by  our 
musketry  and  the  grape  and  canister  of  our  artillery,  and 
yet  fresh  regiments  were  as  often  pushed  forward  to  take 
their  places.  At  last,  gaining  possession  of  the  woods  on 
the  right  of  the  stone  wah1,  they  got  an  enfilading  fire 
upon  our  little  band  of  heroes,  who  were  compelled  to 
abandon  their  position.  But  if  the  enemy  had  driven 
them  back  it  had  cost  him  dearly.  The  little  field  was 
strewn  all  over  with  the  mangled  corpses  of  the  slain 
rebels,  telling  the  silent  story  of  the  desperation  of  the 
struggle. 

"The  determined  obstinacy  of  this  little  band  of  two 
small  brigades,  in  holding  the  rebels  more  than  an  hour  in 
check,  had  given  General  Hooker  opportunity  to  perfect 
the  formation  of  his  main  line  of  battle  on  the  line  he 
had  intended  to  take,  and  with  the  exception  of  these  two 
brigades,  who  were  too  much  exhausted  to  renew  the  action 
immediately,  the  line  was  formed  precisely  as  desired.  The 
two  brigades  which  had  thus  far  done  the  severe  fighting 


CHANCELLORS  VILLE.  153 

fell  back  to  the  rear,  leaving  the  field  open  for  the  enemy 
to  advance  up  to  our  rifle  pits. 

"Along  the  rear  of  the  line  of  infantry  we  had  a  laige 
number  of  field  batteries  planted.  These  were  protected  by 
earthworks  which  had  been  thrown  up  during  the  previous 
evening  and  night.  Our  front  line  of  battle  was  formed 
in  rifle  pits  and  behind  breastworks  of  timber  and  brush, 
hastily  thrown  up,  but  affording  some  shelter  to  the  men. 
The  second  or  reserve  line  lay  upon  the  open  field,  and 
was  intended  to  advance  to  the  breastworks  when  the  first 
line  should  become  exhausted.  The  line  was  formed  upon 
either  side  of  the  plank  road  leading  to  Orange  Court 
House,  and  close  up  to  the  woods.  "We  had  a  section  of 
Dimmick's  famous  battery  planted  directly  in  this  road  on 
a  line  with  our  reserves,  which  swept  the  road  to  prevent 
the  enemy  advancing  down  it.  But  the  enemy  had  also 
brought  around  a  quantity  of  field  artillery,  with  which 
they  opened  upon  Captain  Dimmick  with  great  earnestness. 
The  duel  fought  between  these  batteries  was  a  hard  one. 
The  brave  Dimmick  fell  during  its  progress,  and  many  of 
his  gunners  were  carried  wounded  to  the  rear. 

"  But  the  enemy  had  advanced  through  the  woods  close 
up  to  our  lines,  and  were  attacking  us  in  great  force,  des 
pite  our  artillery.  We  filled  the  woods  with  shell,  crossing 
fires  in  all  directions,  but  still  the  masses  of  the  enemy 
crowded  on.  It  seemed  as  if  they  were  a  dense  mob,  those 
in  the  rear  being  ignorant  of  the  carnage  going  on  in 
front,  crowding  their  companions  on  to  sure  destruction. 
They  appeared  in  front  of  our  lines  for  at  least  a  mile, 
along  the  front  of  the  entire  third  and  second  corps,  coming 

20 


154  DAYID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

up  in  dense  masses,  climbing  over  the  heaps  of  the  fallen, 
firing  heavy  volleys,  and  going  down  among  the  slain  as 
the  response  broke  from  our  ranks.  It  was  frightful  to 
contemplate  the  slaughter  to  which  these  men  were  forced. 
Whole  brigades  were  swept  away  in  the  determined  effort 
to  force  our  lines,  and  still  other  brigades  sprang  up  to 
take  their  places.  And  so  they  fought  us,  and  so  we  con 
tinued  to  fight,  until  the  cartridge  boxes  of  our  men  began 
to  grow  light,  and  their  powers  of  endurance  to  flag  under 
the  constant  exertion. 

"In  this  frightful  life-and-death-struggle  the  whole  plain 
of  Chancellorsville  was  swept  by  the  missiles  of  one  or  the 
other  party,  and,  heart-sick  and  weary  of  witnessing  such 
sacrifices  of  human  life,  I  turned  my  horse's  head  away  and 
moved  down  the  road  towards  the  ford.  And  here  other 
scenes  equally  affecting  met  my  eye.  Long  trains  of  ambu 
lances  were  continually  coming  down  the  road,  depositing 
their  loads  of  suffering,  mangled  men  at  impromptu  hos 
pitals,  hastily  fitted  up  beneath  the  shelter  of  the  woods, 
where  a  large  force  of  surgeons  was  busily  occupied  in 
dressing  the  wounds.  The  road  swarmed  with  those  not 
•  sufficiently  wounded  to  require  carriage  in  an  ambulance, 
yet  for  whose  sufferings,  as  they  went  hobbling,  groaning 
along,  the  stoutest-hearted  must  bleed. 

"And  still  the  carnage  went  on.  It  was  nine  o'clock. 
Since  five  o'clock  that  deafening,  horrible  roar  of  musketry 
had  known  no  cessation,  and  the  loud  booming  of  a  hun 
dred  cannon  sent  the  sound  only  to  a  greater  distance 
without  adding  to  its  volume.  And  yet  our  men  held 
their  position.  Could  human  endurance  stand  more  ?  They, 


CHANCELLORSVILLE.  155 

too,  were  suffering ;  not  slain  so  lavishly  as  the  enemy,  be 
cause  sheltered,  but  their  ranks  were  sensibly  thinning. 
Half-past  nine  o'clock — our  column  is  growing  weak;  ten 
o'clock — the  work  of  death  still  goes  on.  Twenty  thou 
sand  brave  men  have  been  killed  or  wounded  during  the 
past  five  hours — four  thousand  an  hour!  The  ratio  of 
deaths  to  the  simply  wounded  was  never  equalled  in  war. 
We  mowed  the  enemy  down  by  brigades.  Could  we  endure 
the  exertion  long  enough,  even  though  they  did  so  greatly 
outnumber  us,  we  could  finally  destroy  them.  But  our 
men  were  exhausted. 

"Half-past  ten  o'clock — our  ranks  are  broken.  From 
sheer  fatigue  our  men  have  given  way.  One  entrance  into 
those  rifle  pits  and  the  still  dense  masses  of  the  enemy 
make  but  short  work  of  clearing  them.  But  though  re 
pulsed,  we  are  not  disordered.  Like  veterans,  every  column 
falls  back  in  order,  and  the  line  is  re-established  at  the 
old  brick  house,  Chancellorsville. 

"The  old  house  had  been  taken  early  in  the  battle  for  a 
hospital,  and  was  now  crowded  with  wounded.  Our  lines 
were  reformed  in  front  of  it,  to  hold,  if  possible,  the 
cross  roads.  The  enemy  halted  on  the  edge  of  the  woods, 
as  if  to  breathe,  and  there  was  a  moment  of  silence.  That 
horrible  roar  had  ceased.  The  quiet  was  painful.  But  it 
lasts  only  a  few  seconds.  The  enemy  brought  forward  his 
guns  and  commenced  to  shell  our  new  position. 

"  Here  General  Hooker  met  with  a  very  narrow  escape. 
He  was  standing  on  the  porch  of  the  old  brick  house, 
leaning  against  one  of  the  pillars,  when  a  shell  struck  the 
pillar,  shattering  it  to  splinters.  The  general  was  thrown 


156  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

down  and  somewhat  stunned,  but  was  otherwise  unhurt. 
He  had  been  on  the  field  throughout  the  battle,  every 
where  present  where  the  fight  was  the  hottest,  encouraging 
his  men  to  renewed  efforts,  and  had  escaped  without  a 
scratch.  His  safety  seemed  miraculous. 

"  The  vigorous  shelling  of  the  enemy  riddled  that  old 
mansion  in  all  directions,  and  some  of  the  wounded  whose 
wounds  had  already  been  dressed  were  killed.  At  last  an 
incendiary  shell  burst  within  the  building,  and  it  soon  was 
enveloped  in  flames. 

"  Between  eleven  and  twelve  o'clock  the  enemy  mus 
tered  their  forces  and  renewed  the  assault.  They  came 
down  upon  us  in  solid  masses,  against  which  it  seemed 
like  folly  for  our  comparatively  small  force,  wearied  and 
exhausted  as  they  were,  to  contend.  But  they  accepted 
the  challenge  of  battle  and,  though  overpowered,  fought 
like  heroes,  contesting  every  inch  of  ground  back  to  the 
White  House,  half  a  mile  on  the  road  to  the  ford,  and 
here  the  contest  ceased.  Here  we  had  a  powerful  array 
of  artillery  that  drove  the  rebels  back  as  rapidly  as  they 
advanced,  and  they  were  glad  to  accept  the  opportunity  of 
resting  from  the  fierce  struggle." 

This  was  the  end  of  the  fighting  at  Chancellorsville.  Our 
troops,  however,  still  retained  possession  of  the  line  they 
had  reached,  and  the  first  division  of  the  Third  Corps,  after 
intrenching  themselves  as  well  as  they  could  with  the  tools 
at  their  command,  were  exposed  to  the  fire  of  sharp 
shooters  and  artillery  of  the  enemy  until  Wednesday  at 
four  o'clock,  A.  M.,  when,  in  obedience  to  orders,  they 
started  for  their  former  camps,  near  Falmouth,  where  they 


CHANCELLORSYILLE.  157 

remained  until  they  followed  General  Lee  into  Pennsylvania, 
and  did  their  full  share  of  the  fighting  at  the  memorable 
battle  of  Gettysburg. 

General  Birney's  conduct  during  the,  battle  of  Chancel- 
lorsville  and  the  movements  which  it  involved,  won  the 
most  unqualified  praise  from  all  who  knew  what  he  had 
done,  from  subordinates  as  well  as  superiors.  Every  move 
ment  of  which  he  had  charge  was  a  success,  and  he  did 
his  entire  duty  faithfully  and  without  hesitation.  In  a 
few  days  he  was  rewarded  with  promotion  to  the  rank  of 
major-general,  to  rank  from  May  5,  1863.  Why  this  date 
was  chosen  instead  of  May  2d,  the  date  of  Major-general 
Berry's  death,  whose  place  Birney  was  appointed  to  fill, 
the  uninitiated  reader  may  be  unable  to  explain,  but  when 
he  is  told  that,  by  this  postponement,  officers  of  the  regular 
army,  whose  promotions  were  to  rank  from  Chancellorsville, 
would  thus  take  precedence  of  Birney,  he  can  understand 
the  reason.  This  marked  injustice  for  a  time  depressed 
Birney,  but  his  sense  of  duty  and  love  for  the  cause  he 
had  espoused  soon  gained  the  ascendancy,  and  all  other 
motives  were  subordinate  to  these.  He  had  not  gone  into 
the  army  for  place  or  for  promotion,  nor  did  he  ever  seek 
cither,  or  permit  his  friends  to  do  so,  until  he  considered 
that  he  was  fully  up  to  the  standard  by  which  others  were 
judged.  He  asked  only  for  fair  play  and  the  rank  to 
which  his  services  entitled  him.  These  he  eventually  ob 
tained  by  his  own  merits,  and  without  the  intervention  of 
friends. 


ETOIDE^TS    OF    CHA^CELLOBSVILLE. 


HE  following  is  extracted  from  the  Phila 
delphia  Inquirer  of  June  19,  1863 : — 
"  THE  GENERAL  AND  THE  DRUMMER 
BOY. — Last  winter  the  wife  of  one  of 
our  Philadelphia  generals,  who  was 
with  her  husband  in  camp,  paid  daily 
visits  to  his  division  hospital.  She 
brought  to  her  husband's  attention  the  needs  of  his  men, 
and  he  was  prompt  to  send  to  Washington  for  such  articles 
of  comfort  as  could  not  be  obtained  nearer.  Among  those 
cases  which  especially  interested  her  was  that  of  a  little 
drummer  boy,  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  who  was  lying 
very  low  with  typhoid  fever,  and  who,  but  for  a  woman's 
presence  and  attention,  might  never  have  been  restored  to 
health  again.  The  young  lad  appreciated  the  cooling  drinks 
and  kind  nursing,  and  became  devotedly  attached  to  the 
general's  wife.  She  returned  to  her  home  previous  to  the 
battle,  scarce  expecting  ever  to  hear  from  her  little  charge 
again.  But  after  the  battle  of  Chancellors ville,  this  humane 
general  visited  his  hospital  to  look  after  his  wounded  men, 
and  was  greeted  by  the  bright  face  of  the  lad,  who  lay  on 
his  back  in  his  cot,  as  he  said: — 

" '  Oh,  general !  how  glad  I  am  to  see  you  again !' 
(158) 


INCIDENTS    OF    CHANCELLORSVILLE.  159 

"  'Why,  are  you  here?'  answered  the  general;  'how  came 
that  about1?' 

" '  I  went  into  the  fight,  general ;  I  could  not  help  it,  and 
I  lost  one  of  my  legs ;  but  that  is  nothing  now  that  you  arc 
safe.  Why,  we  thought  that  we  had  lost  you  at  one  time.' 

"  Is  it  any  wonder  that  at  such  a  manifestation  of  self- 
forgetfulness  and  heroism,  the  general  was  obliged  to  turn 
away  his  head  to  hide  his  emotion?  Brave  as  a  lion,  col 
lected  under  all  circumstances,  singularly  reticent,  he  was 
not  equal  to  that  emergency.  General  Birney  will  not 
thank  us  for  this  notice,  for  he  is  not  an  ostentatious  man; 
but  the  spirit  manifested,  creditable  alike  to  the  general 
and  the  drummer  boy,  should  be  recorded  for  others  to 
emulate  and  to  stimulate  the  women  of  the  country  to 
work  early  and  late  for  the  comfort  of  our  brave  soldiers. 
Only  those  who  have  visited  the  field  hospitals  can  testify 
to  the  destitution  that  too  often  exists  there. 

"  A.t  this  hour  the  women  of  Philadelphia  have  an  urgent 
call  made  upon  them.  The  comforts  and  luxuries  that  they 
provide  may  minister  to  the  necessities  of  their  own  hus 
bands,  sons,  or  brothers.  Yesterday  demands  were  made 
upon  the  Women's  Pennsylvania  Branch  of  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307  Chestnut  street,  for 
medicines,  stimulants,  nourishing  food,  etc.,  etc.,  to  be  sent 
without  delay  to  the  border.  Special  agents  have  already 
been  despatched  by  them." 

Soon  after  the  battle  of  Chanccflorsville  General  Birney 
and  some  of  his  friends  in  Philadelphia,  at  their  own 
expense,  had  manufactured  about  five  hundred  "  Kearny 
Crosses,"  for  presentation  to  non-commissioned  officers  and 


160  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

men  who  had  distinguished  themselves  in  battles  in  which 
the  division  had  been  engaged.  These  were  distributed  by 
a  General  Order,  issued  May  16,  1863,  which  is  published 
at  length  in  the  Appendix.  The  following  description  of 
this  presentation  is  extracted  from  the  army  correspondence 
of  the  New  York  Herald  of  May  29th,  under  date  of 
May  28th:— 

"A  very  interesting  ceremony  occurred  in  General  Bir- 
ney's  (late  Kearny's)  division,  of  General  Sickles'  corps, 
yesterday  afternoon,  being  the  presentation  of  upwards  of 
four  hundred  medals  to  non-commissioned  officers  and  pri 
vates  of  the  division,  distinguished  for  meritorious  services 
in  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville. 

"The  presentation  was  made  in  the  presence  of  the  en 
tire  division,  drawn  up  in  a  hollow  square.  Among  the 
guests  present  were  a  number  of  distinguished  Philadel- 
phians,  influential  in  getting  the  medals,  together  with 
Generals  Sickles,  Meadc  and  Birney,  with  their  staffs;  a 
delegation  from  the  staff  of  General  Hooker  and  Brigadier- 
generals  Humphreys,  Graham,  Crawford  and  Tyler,  with 
their  respective  staff-officers. 

"The  presentation  speech  was  made  by  General  Sicldes, 
and  was  pronounced  one  of  the  happiest  impromptu  efforts 
of  the  season. 

"After  the  presentation  of  the  medals,  a  beautiful  stand 
of  colors  (the  gift  of  the  city  of  New  York)  was  presented 
to  the  Thirty-eighth  New  York  volunteers,  whose  term  of 
service  is  about  to  expire.  They  were  presented  in  an 
appropriate  speech  by  Major-general  Birney,  which  was 
replied  to  by  Colonel  De  Trobriand." 


GETTYSBUKG. 

HE  period  is  now  approached  when  the 
rebel  army,  under  General  Lee,  made  the 
grandest  effort  it  attempted  during  the 
war.  So  long  as  American  history  con 
tinues  to  be  written  and  read,  the  battle 
of  Gettysburg  and  the  gigantic  movements 
which  preceded  it  will  stand  forth  in  the  panorama  of 
events  as  the  culminating  point  of  the  war.  Had  it  re 
sulted  in  the  defeat  of  the  Union  forces,  Philadelphia  would 
have  fallen ;  Pennsylvania,  with  its  immense  resources,  would 
have  paid  tribute  to  the  Confederacy;  the  city  of  Wash 
ington  would  have  been  isolated  from  the  loyal  States;  the 
fate  of  the  city  of  New  York  would  have  been  within 
the  grasp  of  the  rebel  army;  foreign  powers  would  have 
recognized  the  States  in  rebellion  as  a  nation,  and  the  re 
storation  of  the  Union  would  not  have  occurred  during  the 
present  generation.  These  calamities  were,  under  a  kind 
Providence,  averted  by  the  gallantry  of  our  soldiers,  who, 
after  three  days  of  hard  righting,  gained  a  victory,  which 
to  our  country  was  more  important  in  its  results  than  the 
battle  of  Waterloo  to  Europe. 

If  the  description  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  and  its 
incidents  may  appear  tedious  to  the  reader,  the  writer's 
excuse  is,  that  he  viewed  the  movements  which  culminated 

21  (1GJ) 


162  DAVID    BELL    BIENEY. 

in  this  great  battle  from  the  same  stand-point  which  every 
loyal  Philadelphia!!  occupied.  The  defeat  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  at  Fredericksburg  and  at  Chancellorsvillc,  had 
not  only  given  increased  impetus  to  the  efforts  of  those 
who  sustained  the  rebellion  in  the  Southern  States,  but  had 
emboldened  the  sympathizers  with  secession  in  the  North, 
who,  too  cowardly  to  avow  their  sentiments  openly,  did  all 
in  their  power  to  encourage  those  who  did  the  bidding 
of  Jefferson  Davis.  The  same  fiendish  and  diabolical  feel 
ings  that  nurtured  the  conspiracy  which  resulted  in  the 
assassination  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  on  the  14th  of  April, 
1865,  when,  with  "malice  towards  none  and  with  charity 
for  all,"  he  yielded  up  his  spirit,  a  martyr  to  the  cause  of 
self-government  and  human  rights,  prompted  certain  men  in 
the  city  of  Philadelphia,  possessed  of  the  spirit,  but  not  the 
daring  of  the  assassin  who  took  away  the  life  of  the  Presi 
dent,  to  publish,  in  one  of  the  daily  journals  of  that  city,  a 
list  of  the  names,  the  residences,  and  the  estimated  estates 
of  the  leading  Union  men  of  the  city,  for  the  information 
of  General  Lee  and  his  subordinates.  It  was  very  natural 
that  the  Union  men  of  Philadelphia  watched  with  anxiety 
the  progress  of  General  Lee  and  his  army,  when  their  inten 
tion  of  making  Pennsylvania  the  theatre  of  action  became 
manifest.  For  obvious  reasons  the  Government  withheld 
from  the  country  at  large  all  knowledge  of  the  movements 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  it  was  not  until  the  first 
day  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  that  the  rebel  army  and 
the  citizens  of  Pennsylvania  discovered,  simultaneously,  the 
presence  of  our  veteran  soldiers  to  arrest  the  movement  of 
the  invader. 


GETTYSBURG.  163 

Since  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  it  has  been  customary,  in 
other  States,  to  taunt  the  citizens  of  Pennsylvania  with  the' 
inefficiency  of  their  State  government,  during  this  invasion, 
and  to  remind  them,  in  terms  not  very  nattering  nor  com 
plimentary,  that  regiments  of  militia  from  other  States  came 
to  their  aid,  before  their  own  militiamen  were  in  the  field. 
For  this,  however,  the  citizens  of  Pennsylvania,  as  such,  are 
not  responsible.  They  did  as  men  their  full  duty,  but  were 
not  properly  directed.  Though  at  that  time  the  rebellion 
had  existed  for  more  than  two  years,  and  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania  had  been  twice  invaded,  the  Legislature  had 
made  no  provision  for  organizing  the  militia,  nor  did  the 
State  possess  any  field  pieces,  or  arms,  that  could  be  used 
with  safety  to  those  who  fired  them,  tents  or  equipments, 
for  such  citizens  as  were  ready  to  respond  to  the  call 
of  the  Governor.  Besides  this,  there  was  mismanagement 
somewhere  at  Harrisburg.  Among  the  first  who  went 
there  and  offered  to  the  State  their  services,  in  any  capa 
city,  was  a  company  of  colored  men,  organized  near  Phila 
delphia,  The  general  commanding  the  department,  and  the 
State  authorities,  both  refused  to  receive  them,  and  the 
company  returned  home,  the  men  paying  their  own  ex 
penses.  Companies  of  white  men,  both  infantry,  and 
cavalry  mounted  at  their  own  expense,  were,  during  the 
first  few  days,  after  the  danger  became  apparent,  sent 
home  to  Philadelphia  again,  because  they  could  not  be 
either  armed  or  equipped.  Many  of  these  men,  however, 
returned  to  Harrisburg  in  different  organizations,  and  ren 
dered  such  services  as  they  were  called  upon  to  perform. 
The  Councils  of  Philadelphia,  after  the  rebels  had  entered 


164  DAVID     BELL    BIRNEY. 

the  State,  suddenly  discovered  that  the  city  was  without 
protection;  and,  embracing  the  opportunity  to  give  some  of 
their  favorites  a  contract,  appropriated  money  to  be  ex 
pended  in  fortifying  the  city.  At  some  of  the  principal 
streets,  within  musket  shot  of  Independence  Hall,  and  on 
Lemon  Hill,  near  Fairmount,  on  the  cast  bank  of  the 
Schuylkill,  earthworks  were  thrown  up  at  an  enormous  ex 
penditure  of  the  public  money,  sufficient  to  have  put  in  the 
field  a  number  of  regiments.  As  Councils,  however,  had 
neglected  to  make  a  "contract"  with  the  rebels  to  march 
into  the  city  by  these  most  frequented  streets,  it  was  dif 
ficult  to  see  how  these  hillocks  would  afford  protection  to  a 
city  whose  natural  line  of  defence  is  the  banks  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna.  The  action  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  how 
ever,  saved  Philadelphia  from  the  necessity  of  relying  on 
this  sort  of  engineering  for  defence,  but  the  earthworks  still 
remain,  beautifully  sodded,  and  are  monuments  of  the  mili 
tary  knowledge  of  the  city  fathers  of  Philadelphia  in  1863. 
Though  the  State  government  may  be  amenable  to  the 
charge  of  inefficiency,  and  the  City  Councils  may  have  been 
prodigal  of  public  money  during  the  crisis,  many  of  the 
citizens  of  Philadelphia  did  their  full  duty.  Early  in  May, 
1S63,  President  Lincoln  had  announced  his  intention  of 
visiting  the  city  on  the  4th  of  July,  as  the  guest  of  the 
Union  League.  This  body  was  making  preparations  to 
honor  him  with  a  suitable  reception  and  a  dinner  at  the 
Academy  of  Music,  the  largest  building  in  the  city.  Con 
tributions  to  defray  the  expenses  of  this  reception  and 
entertainment  had  been  made  by  the  members.  At  a 
meeting  of  the  League,  held  after  the  invasion  was  begun, 


GETTYSBURG.  165 

the  contributors  unanimously  placed  this  fund  at  the  dis 
posal  of  a  committee,  who  expended  it  to  organize  and  send 
forward  two  regiments,  before  the  battle  of  Gettysburg;  and 
who  since  that  time  have,  with  funds  contributed  by  mem 
bers  of  the  League,  organized  and  put  in  the  field  seven 
more  regiments. 

On  Monday,  the  15th  of  June,  1863,  Governor  Curtin 
issued  a  proclamation,  apprising  the  citizens  of  Pennsyl 
vania  of  the  danger  which  threatened  them,  and  calling 
upon  them  to  take  action.  The  response  made  by  the 
First  Troop  of  Philadelphia  City  Cavalry  is  thus  described 
in  the  Philadelphia  Inquirer  of  Friday,  June  19th : — 

"  This  company  resolved  on  Tuesday,  at  eight  P.  M., 
to  offer  their  services  to  the  State.  It  was  announced  at 
the  armory,  during  the  meeting,  that  General  Couch  had 
asked  that  the  Troop  should  be  sent  to  Harrisburg,  as  he 
had  not  a  mounted  man  in  his  command.  The  members 
who  had  resolved  to  go  were  at  first  told  that  they  would 
be  mounted  at  Harrisburg,  but  ascertained  before  midnight 
that  this  was  doubtful,  and  accordingly  resolved  they  would 
not  leave  the  matter  uncertain,  but  would  go  mounted, 
armed,  and  equipped  at  their  own  expense,  and  serve  the 
State  as  long  as  they  might  be  needed.  The  undress  uni 
form  which  they  resolved  to  wear,  with  the  side-arms, 
etc.,  cost  each  member  about  three  hundred  dollars,  but 
the  members  were  determined  to  'go  the  whole  figure,' 
and  made  arrangements  by  which  horses  were  purchased 
on  Wednesday,  and  by  five  P.  M.  they  could  have  started 
had  they  been  able  to  procure  transportation. 

"They   applied    on   Wednesday   night   to    the    officers    of 


166  DAVID    BELL    BIHNEY. 

the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  and  were  promptly 
met  by  the  response  that  they  could  have  a  train  at  any 
time  they  might  name  on  Thursday,  and  one  was  secured. 
Later  in  the  evening  they  were  informed  by  Colonel  Ruff 
that,  unless  they  were  '  mustered  in,'  they  could  not  have 
transportation,  as  he  had  received  orders  from  Harrisburg 
during  the  afternoon  to  forward  no  men  unless  they  were 
first  mustered  in.  The  members  were  willing  to  go  at 
their  own  expense,  and  to  serve  as  long  as  they  might 
be  wanted,  under  the  orders  of  any  one  in  command,  and 
as  they  had  resolved  not  to  *  be  mustered  in,  the  officers  in 
command  could  not  offer  to  comply  with  the  demand. 
On  reporting  to  the  members  yesterday  morning,  they, 
without  hesitation,  resolved  to  pay  for  the  train  they  had 
engaged,  and  if  any  thing  should  occur  to  prevent  its  use, 
because  they  were  not  mustered  in,  they  determined  to 
ride  to  Harrisburg. 

"On  application  yesterday  morning  to  the  officers  of  the 
Railroad  Company,  they  were  told  that  the  arrangements 
made  the  night  previous  would  not  be  altered,  and  the 
train  would  be  ready  at  one  P.  M.  yesterday,  at  the  siding 
near  Hcstonville,  the  question  of  pay  being  a  future  con 
sideration.  At  eleven  A.  M.  thirty-seven  men  were  assem 
bled  on  the  lot  at  the  rear  of  the  Academy  of  Music,  well 
mounted,  armed  and  equipped,  with  cartridges  in  their 
boxes,  and  two  days  rations  in  their  haversacks.  An 
Adams'  Express  wagon,  drawn  by  four  noble  horses,  had 
been  provided,  and  was  loaded  down  with  tents,  picket 
ropes,  valises,  and  provisions  sufficient  to  last  a  week.  At 
half  past  eleven  the  Troop,  thus  provided,  rode  out  to 


GETTYSBURG.  167 

Ilestonville,  attended  by  many  of  the  friends  of  the  mem 
bers,  and  by  several  of  the  '  can't-get-aways,'  and  reached 
the  drove  yard  a  few  minutes  before  one  o'clock. 

"  At  one  o'clock  precisely  the  train  came  along  under 
charge  of  Mr.  Showers,  who  had  come  out  from  his  office 
at  Thirteenth  arid  Market  streets  to  see  the  boys  off.  The 
men  dismounted,  unsaddled  their  horses,  put  them  in 
the  cars,  and,  so  complete  were  the  arrangements,  that 
in  fifteen  minutes  the  train  was  off,  and  by  six  P.  M. 
yesterday  as  noble  a  set  of  men  as  ever  mounted  horses 
were  in  Harrisburg  ready  for  any  duty  to  which  they  may 
be  assigned. 

"Too  much  credit  cannot  be  awarded  M.  Edward  Rogers, 
the  orderly  sergeant,  for  the  energy  and  intelligence  he 
displayed  in  the  absence  of  the  commissioned  officers  of 
the  Troop,  some  of  whom  are  away  in  the  service,  and 
others  were  out  of  the  city  on  business.  The  management 
of  all  the  details — and  they  were  not  few — devolved  upon 
him.  Several  members  who  have  had  experience  in  the 
service  aided  him  most  effectively,  and  they  deserve  all 
praise  for  their  action  in  securing  for  the  State  so  effective 
a  company  without  a  dollar  of  the  public  money  being 
expended. 

"Had  it  been  possible  to  have  obtained  uniforms  and 
arms,  more  men  of  the  same  sort  could  have  been  sent  up, 
and  the  city  would  have  seen  as  many  troopers  leave 
home  after  forty  hours  of  preparation  as  went  in  the 
spring  of  1861,  four  weeks  after  they  first  resolved  to 
go.  At  least  a  hundred  men,  who  have  had  experience 
in  the  cavalry  service,  and  would  make  efficient  soldiers, 


168  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

applied  at  the  armory  on  Wednesday,  and  asked  to  be 
taken  as  recruits.  It  was  impossible,  however,  to  get  them 
armed  and  equipped,  and  it  was  not  deemed  expedient  to 
send  them  in  any  other  way.  Some  members,  who  could 
not  leave  yesterday,  went  last  night;  others  are  yet  to  go, 
besides  several  recruits  who  have  obtained  arms  and 
uniforms,  and  if  the  Troop  should  be  needed  for  a  week, 
they  will  number  seventy-five  or  eighty  men. 

"The  expenditures  on  Wednesday  and  yesterday  for  horses, 
tents,  provisions,  etc.,  amounted  to  about  §6,500,  and  they 
will  be  increased  should  other  members  or  recruits  join 
the  Troop  in  the  field.  It  might  be  well  for  some  of  the 
Committees  having  in  charge  large  funds  for  bounty  and 
celebration  purposes  to  consider  whether  they  could  not 
appropriate  some  money  to  repay  to  such  soldiers  their 
outlay.  If  this  is  not  done,  some  of  our  citizens  intend 
trying  to  raise  a  fund  to  be  expended  for  keeping  the 
horses  the  members  now  have  for  the  use  of  the  Troop 
during  the  war,  and  the  members  will  hereafter  hold 
themselves  in  readiness  to  march  at  six  hours  notice. 
If  such  a  measure  is  not  successful,  it  may  well  be  said 
that  Philadelphia  has  lost  the  liberality  her  citizens  have 
heretofore  displayed." 

The  suggestion  made  by  the  writer  of  the  foregoing  arti 
cle  was  not  acted  upon  by  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia. 
The  entire  amount  expended  for  horses  and  for  the  sub 
sistence  of  the  Troop,  while  it  was  in  the  field,  amounting 
to  nearly  twenty  thousand  dollars,  was  advanced  by  three 
members  of  the  company.  When  the  Troop  returned  home, 
as  the  efforts  to  make  provision  to  keep  the  horses,  for  the 


GETTYSBURG.  169 

use  of  the  members  during  the  war,  were  unsuccessful,  they 
were  sold,  at  a  loss  of  about  four  thousand  dollars,  which 
was  sustained  by  the  three  members  who  had  advanced  the 
money  for  their  purchase.  The  expenditure  for  subsisting 
the  Troop  was  subsequently  refunded  by  the  "  Committee  on 
Defence  and  Protection,"  principally  through  the  exertions 
of  S.  A.  Mercer,  Esq.,  a  prominent  member  of  the  Com 
mittee. 

The  recruiting  for  the  Troop  was  continued  until  it  com 
prised  ninety  men,  all  of  whom  furnished,  at  their  own 
expense,  their  uniforms,  arms  and  equipments.  A  number 
of  efficient  and  experienced  young  men,  who  were  unable 
to  incur  this  expense,  volunteered  to  go  with  the  Troop. 
These  were,  within  a  few  days,  armed,  uniformed,  and 
equipped  by  the  Government,  and  mounted  at  the  expense 
of  a  number  of  citizens  of  Philadelphia.  They  were  known 
as  the  Dana  Troop,  (in  honor  of  Major-general  Dana,  who 
was  then  in  command  of  Philadelphia,)  and  were  in  the 
service  for  six  months. 

Among  other  incidents  of  promptness  may  be  mentioned 
the  action  of  William  B.  Mann,  Esq.,  for  many  years  the 
efficient  district  attorney  of  the  city  and  county  of  Phila 
delphia,  who  never  deserted  his  country  or  his  friends  in 
an  emergency.  During  Tuesday,  the  16th  of  June,  the  day 
following  that  on  which  Governor  Curtin  issued  his  Procla 
mation,  the  neglect  to  respond  to  the  call  of  the  governor 
excited  some  comment.  On  Wednesday  Mr.  Mann  excused 
himself  from  his  duties  at  court,  and  using  a  table,  placed 
in  front  of  Independence  Hall  as  a  recruiting  office,  in  a 
few  hours  enlisted  a  full  company,  and  at  two  o'clock  went 

22 


170  DAVID    BELL    BIRNET. 

with  them  to  Harrisburg,  where,  during  the  emergency,  and 
with  such  arms  and  equipments  as  the  State  had  at  hand, 
they  performed  provost  duty. 

These  examples  were  not  without  their  effect  upon  the 
people  of  Philadelphia,  and  regiment  after  regiment  went 
forward  from  the  city  to  the  defence  of  the  border.  All 
that  was  needed  was  organization,  and  when  this  was 
effected  thousands  of  the  best  young  men  of  Philadelphia 
stepped  into  the  ranks. 

The  City  Troop  remained  in  Harrisburg  only  long  enough 
to  rest  and  feed  their  horses,  when,  under  orders  from  Gen 
eral  Couch,  they  rode  to  Gettysburg,  which  was  their  head 
quarters  until  Friday,  June  26th,  when  they  vacated  to 
give  room  to  the  rebel  cavalry.  During  this  time  they 
acted  as  mounted  scouts,  under  the  direction  of  Major  Hal- 
ler,  of  the  regular  army,  on  General  Couch's  staff,  who  soon 
after  was  dismissed  the  service  for  "disloyal  conduct  and 
the  utterance  of  disloyal  sentiments."  The  Troop  was 
under  the  immediate  command  of  its  only  commissioned 
officer,  Honorable  S.  J.  Randall,  member  of  Congress  from 
the  First  District  of  Pennsylvania,  who  joined  the  company 
at  Harrisburg.  A  large  majority  of  the  members  had 
served  during  the  "three  months  campaign,"  and  by  expe 
rience  had  learned  the  duties  of  soldiers.  They  performed 
services,  and  acquired  information  of  the  movements  of  the 
enemy,  which  were  invaluable  to  General  Couch,  and  were 
fully  acknowledged  by  him. 

The  cavalry  of  the  enemy,  about  two  hundred  strong,  fol 
lowed  by  five  thousand  infantry  of  Swell's  corps,  came 
within  sight  of  Gettysburg  about  three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  of 


GETTYSBURG.  171 

Friday,  June  26th.  Their  arrival  had  been  anticipated  by 
the  Troop,  and  during  the  morning  they  made  preparation 
to  vacate.  They  made  a  rapid  retreat  towards  York,  in 
good  order,  saving  all  their  baggage,  with  the  loss  of  but 
one  man,  private  Welsh,  who  was  acting  as  an  orderly  to 
Major  Haller.  The  major's  horse  was  at  some  distance  from 
his  quarters,  and  Welsh,  who  was  well  mounted,  insisted 
on  Major  Haller  taking  his  horse,  saying  that  it  was  better 
that  a  private  should  be  taken  prisoner  than  a  major  in 
the  regular  service.  The  Troop  came  the  next  morning  to 
Columbia,  and  the  loss  of  Welsh  was  soon  known  to  his 
friends  in  Philadelphia.  They  felt  considerable  anxiety  for 
his  safety,  as  the  Troop  had  not  been  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service,  and  the  theory  was  started  that  its 
captured  members  would  be  treated  as  guerillas  and  not  as 
prisoners  of  war. 

On  Monday,  however,  private  Welsh  returned  home  via 
Baltimore.  After  Major  Haller  left  him  he  changed  his 
uniform  for  citizen's  clothes,  and  retreated  from  Gettysburg 
as  fast  as  possible.  After  walking  a  couple  of  miles  along 
a  country  road,  he  was  overtaken  by  a  farmer  in  a  buggy, 
who  kindly  gave  him  "a  lift;"  and  when  the  two  had 
ridden  some  three  miles,  Welsh  felt  himself  comparatively 
safe.  Soon  the  travellers  heard  horses  rapidly  approach 
ing,  and  in  a  few  minutes  two  lads,  mounted  on  the  same 
horse,  caught  up  with  them,  closely  pursued  by  five  rebel 
cavalrymen,  who  were  firing  their  carbines.  Welsh  called 
to  the  boys  to  stop  or  they  would  be  killed;  they  halted, 
and  the  cavalrymen  soon  came  up,  presenting  a  grotesque 
appearance,  having  on  their  heads  straw  bonnets,  which 


172  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

they  had  confiscated  at  some  store  in  Gettysburg.  They 
soon  seized  the  horses  the  boys  were  riding  and  the 
farmer  was  driving.  After  questioning  the  farmer  they 
turned  to  Welsh,  who  represented  himself  to  be  John  Mcr- 
ryman,  a  son  of  a  farmer  in  the  neighborhood,  and  located 
his  father's  house.  His  explanations  seemed  to  be  satisfac 
tory  to  the  soldiers,  and  they  were  about  leaving  him  when 
one  of  them  said,  "John,  give  me  your  hat,  and  you  can 
have  this  bonnet;"  thus  showing  that,  in  1863,  some  of  the 
rebels,  unlike  Jeff.  Davis,  (who  tried  to  escape  in  his  wife's 
clothes,)  preferred  male  to  female  attire. 

Welsh,  making  a  virtue  of  necessity,  took  off  his  hat  to 
make  the  trade,  and  had  no  sooner  uncovered  his  head 
when  one  of  the  "Johnnies"  said:  "Mr.  Merry-man,  how 
long  has  it  been  since  the  farmers'  sons  in  this  neighbor 
hood  have  had  their  hair  cut  in  that  stylet  You  had 
better  come  along  with  us  to  headquarters  and  report." 

Welsh  put  on  the  bonnet  and  rode  back  to  Gettysburg. 
When  he  arrived  he  was  taken  before  the  colonel  of  a 
Georgia  regiment,  who  was  acting  as  provost  marshal,  and 
by  him  forwarded  to  General  Ewcll,  who  formerly  lived  in 
Philadelphia,  and  was  a  member  of  the  City  Troop.  Welsh 
then  gave  a  true  account  of  himself,  and  Ewell  asked  him 
what  other  forces  had  been  in  Gettysburg.  On  being  told 
by  Welsh  that  the  entire  force  consisted  of  the  City  Troop, 
Ewell  laughed  and  said,  "This  is  as  good  as  a  farce.  I 
was  informed  that  there  was  a  regiment  of  cavalry  here. 
If  I  had  known  who  you  fellows  were,  my  men  would 
have  taken  some  of  the  starch  out  of  you." 

Welsh  did  not  argue  this  point,  but  when  asked  whether 


GETTYSBURG.  173 

ho  would  prefer  being  sent  to  Libby  Prison,  or  being  pa 
roled,  decided  in  favor  of  the  parole.  When  it  was  made 
out  General  Ewell  let  him  go  into  the  town  for  his  uni 
form  and  arms,  and  he  returned  home  as  quickly  as  pos 
sible  thereafter. 

The  Troop  reached  Columbia  about  ten  o'clock  on  Satur 
day,  June  28th,  where  they  found  two  regiments  of  militia. 
The  next  day  General  Early,  whose  command  occupied 
York,  from  which  he  had  driven  the  Union  forces  on 
Friday  night,  sent  forward  a  part  of  his  command  to 
Wrightsville,  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Susquehanna  river, 
opposite  Columbia.  Our  troops  maintained  their  position 
until  Sunday  morning,  when  Eaiiy's  men  appearing  at 
Wrightsville  in  large  force,  the  City  Troop  burned  the 
bridge  over  the  Susquehanna.  Preparations  had  been  made, 
before  the  arrival  of  the  Troop,  to  destroy  a  single  span  of 
this  bridge,  but,  when  tried,  it  was  found  that  the  arrange 
ments  were  imperfect,  and  no  alternative  remained  but  to 
burn  the  entire  structure.  The  Troop  remained  at  Colum 
bia  under  orders  until  after  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  when 
they  moved  to  Ilarrisburg,  and  were  there  until  about 
the  15th  of  July,  when,  by  direction  of  the  general  com 
manding  the  department,  they  returned  to  Philadelphia, 
and  were  on  duty  for  about  twenty  days  before  they  were 
finally  disbanded. 

On  Sunday,  June  28th,  while  the  members  of  the  City 
Troop  were  burning  the  bridge  at  Wrightsville,  the  rebel 
army,  divided  into  four  parts,  were  encamped  at  Gettys 
burg,  Chambcrsburg,  where  General  Lee  had  his  head 
quarters,  York  and  near  Carlisle.  On  this  day,  according 


174  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

to  the  official  report  of  General  Lee,  "preparations  were 
made  to  advance  upon  Harrisburg,  but  information  was 
received  that  the  Federal  army,  having  crossed  the  Poto 
mac,  was  advancing  northward,  and  the  head  of  the  column 
had  reached  the  South  Mountain."  The  communication  of 
General  Lee  with  the  Potomac  being  thus  menaced,  he 
resolved  to  concentrate  his  army  on  the  east  side  of  the 
mountain.  He  accordingly  ordered  Generals  Longstreet  and 
Hill  to  proceed  to  Gettysburg  from  Chambersburg,  and 
General  Ewell  to  advance  from  Carlisle,  while  General 
Early  brought  up  his  corps  from  York.  The  march,  how 
ever,  towards  Gettysburg,  by  three  different  divisions  of 
the  rebel  army,  was  conducted  more  slowly  than  it  would 
have  been  had  General  Lee  known  more  about  the  move 
ments  of  General  Hooker,  who,  according  to  General  Lee's 
admissions  in  his  report,  had,  up  to  this  time,  completely 
deceived  him. 

On  the  same  day,  President  Lincoln,  under  some  myste 
rious  influence,  which  induced  him  to  violate  a  rule  of  his 
life,  was  persuaded  to  "swap  horses  while  crossing  a  river," 
and  relieving  General  Hooker  from  command  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  put  General  Meade  in  his  place.  On  the 
same  day  General  Sickles,  who  had  been  absent  for  several 
weeks,  joined  the  Third  Corps  at  Frederick,  Maryland,  and 
resumed  the  command,  which,  during  the  march  from  Fal- 
mouth,  had  devolved  upon  General  Birney. 

Leaving  for  a  few  moments  the  march  of  the  two 
armies,  which  subsequently  were  engaged  in  so  terrible  a 
conflict,  it  may  be  worth  the  reader's  time  to  learn  a  couple 
of  incidents,  never  before  published,  that  transpired  on  the 


GETTYSBURG.  175 

memorable  Sunday  which  witnessed  so  many  important 
events.  On  that  day  General  A.  P.  Hill's  corps  was  in 
possession  of  Chambersburg.  General  Lee  was  with  him, 
and  on  Saturday,  June  27th,  an  order  had  been  issued 
which  prevented  any  of  the  citizens  of  Chambersburg 
from  procuring  supplies  from  any  of  the  mills  in  the 
neighborhood.  On  Sunday  morning,  a  lady  of  Chambers 
burg  went  to  General  Lee's  headquarters  near  the  town, 
to  solicit  from  him  a  modification  of  the  order,  so  that 
the  poor  of  Chambersburg  would  be  able  to  procure  their 
daily  supplies.  General  Lee  received  her  courteously,  and 
in  a  frank  conversation  discussed  the  relative  positions 
of  the  two  armies,  and  the  duties  which  devolved  upon 
them.  His  fair  visitor,  being  intent  on  relieving  the  suf 
ferings  of  the  poor  in  Chambersburg,  avoided  all  political 
discussion,  and  eventually  obtained  from  the  general  a  modi 
fication  of  the  order,  and  thus  procured  the  supplies  neces 
sary  for  the  destitute  during  the  rebel  occupation  of  the 
town.  Few  women  would  have  had  the  moral  courage  to 
have  undertaken  such  a  mission,  but  to  this  lady  nothing 
was  impossible  where  the  interests  of  others  were  involved. 

Another  incident,  worthy  of  record,  illustrates  the  heroic 
conduct  of  the  same  lady.  A  relative  of  her  husband,  who 
was  in  his  office,  a  student  of  law,  not  having  the  fear  of 
the  enemy  before  his  eyes,  induced  a  companion  of  his  to 
join  him  in  a  raid  upon  the  horses  and  equipments  of  two 
rebel  officers  as  they  stood  hitched  in  front  of  the  quarters 
of  their  owners  in  the  town.  The  raid  was  successful,  and 
the  two  young  men  carried  their  prizes  in  safety  to  a  farm 
house,  about  five  miles  distant,  in  an  unfrequented  part  of 


176  DAVID    BELL    BIBNEY. 

the  country.  The  same  night  the  captors  returned  to  Cham- 
bersburg,  and  the  student  of  law  returned  on  foot  to  the 
house  of  his  preceptor,  which,  during  his  absence,  had  been 
occupied  by  a  rebel  general  and  his  staff,  for  their  head 
quarters.  The  lady  to  whom  reference  has  been  made  was, 
of  course,  much  provoked  by  the  hardihood  of  the  young 
student,  but  her  natural  wit  soon  suggested  an  expedient 
for  his  safety.  He  was  made  to  exchange  his  clothes  for 
those  of  a  laborer  upon  the  farm,  and  in  this  disguise  per 
sonated  one  of  the  hired  men,  and,  while  the  rebel  officers 
were  in  possession  of  the  house,  pretended  to  do  the  work 
of  a  laborer.  During  the  visit  of  the  enemy,  his  mistress, 
to  keep  up  the  delusion,  frequently  reprimanded  him  for 
his  laziness,  and,  in  the  presence  of  the  rebel  officers, 
threatened  to  report  his  alleged  rcmissness  to  her  husband 
on  his  return. 

This  ruse  was  completely  successful,  and,  though  one  of 
the  officers  had  lost  his  horse  and  equipments  by  the 
movement  referred  to,  the  culprit  was  not  suspected.  When 
the  loss  became  known,  the  authorities  of  Chambersburg 
were  compelled,  by  the  rebel  provost  marshals,  to  pay 
fifteen  hundred  dollars,  to  compensate  for  the  theft  of  the 
horses  and  equipments.  After  the  enemy  had  evacuated 
Chambersburg,  the  authorities  called  upon  the  law  student 
and  his  companion  either  to  refund  the  money  the  town 
had  paid  or  give  up  their  prizes.  The  friend  of  our  hero 
turned  over  the  horse  and  equipments  to  the  borough,  but 
the  law  student,  having  in  his  mind  what  he  had  learned 
from  Blackstone's  "rights  of  persons  and  rights  of  things," 
from  "  Coke  upon  Littleton,"  and  from  "  Fearne  on  contin- 


GETTYSBURG.  177 

gent  remainders,"  stoutly  refused  to  give  up  his  prize.  The 
town  council,  however,  brought  an  action  against  him,  but 
never  pressed  it  to  trial. 

In  narrating  the  conduct  of  some  of  the  citizens  of  Phila 
delphia,  and  a  few  incidents  which  transpired  during  the 
rebel  possession  of  Chambersburg,  the  reader  may  think 
that  we  have  lost  sight  of  the  subject  of  our  sketch. 
Begging  the  reader's  pardon  for  the  digression,  we  now 
return  to  General  Bimcy,  who,  owing  to  the  absence  of 
General  Sickles,  was  in  command  of  the  Third  Army 
Corps,  from  the  commencement  of  the  march  of  the  army 
from  Falmouth  until  June  28th,  when  General  Sickles  re 
sumed  command  at  Frederick,  Maryland. 

General  Lee  began  to  move  his  army  on  the  3d  of  June, 
1863,  hoping  to  draw  our  troops  from  the  advantageous 
position  they  occupied  opposite  Fredericksburg,  and  thus 
break  up  the  plan  of  our  campaign  for  the  summer.  With 
this  hope  he  moved  Longstreet's  corps  northward  and  or 
dered  Ewell  to  follow  Longstreet,  leaving  the  corps  of  A.  P. 
Hill  to  occupy  the  lines  near  Fredericksburg.  This  move 
ment  was  discovered  by  General  Hooker  as  soon  as  it  was 
begun,  and  he  made  a  counter  movement,  which  caused 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  leave  their  camps  at  Fal 
mouth  and  follow  General  Lee.  On  the  9th  of  June  a 
large  force  of  Union  cavalry  crossed  the  Happahannock  at 
Beverly  ford  and  attacked  General  Lee's  cavalry,  under 
General  Stuart.  After  an  entire  day  of  hard  fighting  the 
rebel  cavalry  retired;  but  this  defeat  did  not  arrest  the  pro 
gress  of  General  Lee's  army,  which  moved  forward  as  fast 

* 

as   it   could    be    marched.      General    Hooker,  however,  was 

23 


178  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

not  idle.  During  the  fight  at  Beverly  ford  the  Union  ' 
cavalry  captured  General  Stuart's  private  papers,  which, 
upon  examination,  disclosed  his  orders  for  an  invasion  of 
Pennsylvania.  Thus  the  Union  generals  were  put  upon 
their  guard,  and  no  time  was  lost  in  moving  to  oppose 
General  Lee.  The  account  of  the  march  up  the  Shenan- 
doah  must  be  left  to  those  who  attempt  to  describe,  in 
detail,  the  movements  of  the  army  towards  Gettysburg. 
The  march  was  a  forced  one,  and  involved  the  loss  of  many 
men,  but  the  end  justified  the  means.  General  Birney,  in 
a  letter  to  the  writer,  dated  June  17,  1863,  says,  "We 
may  be  a  little  late,  but  I  think  we  will  be  up  in  time. 
The  Third  Corps,  which  I  now  command  temporarily,  is 
here  and  in  position  from  Manassas  Gap  to  Bull  Run, 
covering  the  roads  and  fords  to  Centreville.  Yesterday  was 
a  terrible  day,  hot  and  dusty;  men  dropped  dead  by  the 
road  side.  I  never  can  forget  the  scenes  of  yesterday. 
The  country  is  barren  of  good  water,  and  men  would 
gather  on  the  road  side,  lapping  up  like  dogs  any  thing 
like  liquid.  After  the  column  had  halted,  I  rode  some 
twenty  miles  to  get  the  men  in  position  and  provide  for 
their  comfort.  I  assure  you  my  sleep  was  deep  last  night. 
This  morning  I  am  again  ready  for  the  tramp,  though  I  do 
not  know  where,  and  do  not  ask.  I  am  satisfied  to  obey 
orders  promptly,  and  still  have  implicit  confidence  in  the 
ultimate  success  of  the  right.  I  expect  General  Sickles 
back  in  a  few  days,  and  will  be  glad  to  see  him,  for  the 
responsibilities  of  a  command  like  this,  to  a  temporary 
commander,  are  very  great." 

On   the  18th  of  June   he  writes   as   follows:  "We   ought 


GETTYSBURG.  179 

to  bag  all  tha?e  scamps  who  are  threatening  an  ad 
vance  on  Harrisburg  and  Philadelphia.  I  hope  we  will 
meet  the  City  Troop.  Come  down  and  see  me ;  we  will 
show  you  some  good  fighting  in  a  few  days.  To  tell  the 
truth,  you  people  in  Philadelphia  are  unnecessarily  fright 
ened.  The  army  wishes  nothing  better  than  to  meet  Gen 
eral  Lee's  men." 

On  June  22d  General  Birney  writes  from  Gum  Springs, 
near  Aldie:  "We  are  still  here.  The  Third  Corps  is 
alone,  hourly  expecting  that  the  brave  militia-men  of  Penn 
sylvania  will  pitch  into  General  Lee  in  front.  This  after 
noon  I  had  a  brush  with  Moseby's  guerillas  with  my 
escort.  We  took  eight  prisoners,  and  sent  several  of  them 
to  their  long  account.  At  the  time,  these  brave  men  were 
engaged  in  burning  one  of  our  trains." 

This  communication  was  the  last  which  General  Birney 
made  to  his  friends,  until  July  14,  1863.  In  the  mean 
time  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  had  been  fought,  "and  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  had  relieved  the  State  of  Pennsyl 
vania  and  city  of  Philadelphia  from  all  apprehension  of 
General  Lee  and  his  followers.  During  the  march  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  under  the  command  of  General 
Hooker,  the  army  of  General  Lee,  as  well  as  the  citizens 
of  the  loyal  States,  were  in  utter  ignorance  of  the  locality 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  General  Lee's  army  was  led 
to  believe  that  the  only  resistance  they  would  meet  with 
would  be  the  militia  of  Pennsylvania,  and  this  belief  led 
them  on  to  spread  desolation  to  the  fertile  valleys  of  the 
border  counties  of  that  State.  Knowing  that  such  a  foe 
would  be  like  chaff  before  the  wind,  they  marched  boldly 


180  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

to  the  land  of  promise  which  their  leaders  had  described  to 
them.  The  people  of  Pennsylvania  saw  the  armed  hosts  of 
Lee  approaching,  and,  not  knowing  the  whereabouts  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  began  to  realize  that  a  rebellion 
existed  in  the  land. 

This  belief  of  Lee's  men  and  the  gloomy  anticipations 
of  Pennsylvanians  were  soon  put  at  rest  by  the  presence 
of  those  brave  veterans  under  the  command  of  General 
Hooker.  Though  Lee's  army  had  three  days  the  start  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  General  Hooker  proved  him 
self  equal  to  the  emergency,  and  under  his  direction, 
between  the  llth  of  June,  the  day  on  which  its  march 
began,  and  the  28th  of  June,  when  the  administration 
"swapped  horses  while  crossing  the  river," — relieving  Gen 
eral  Hooker  and  putting  General  Meade  in  his  place, — 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  performed  a  march  unparalleled 
in  military  history.  The  heroism  of  both  officers  and  men 
was  never  displayed  so  fully  as  upon  this  march,  and  when 
its  details  are  written,  by  some  future  historian,  he  will 
give  due  credit  to  the  energy  of  the  officers  and  the  zeal 
of  the  men.  The  horrors  of  the  battle-fields  of  Waterloo, 
the  Crimea,  Solferino,  and  Magenta  are  insignificant  com 
pared  with  the  sufferings  which  the  soldiers  of  the  Union 
endured  on  this  march. 

Though  men  dropped  dead  by  the  roadside,  from  want 
of  water  and  the  common  necessaries  of  life,  their  com 
rades  pressed  onward,  and  at  the  end  of  the  march  were 
ready  to  take  their  place  in  line,  and  compel  the  enemy 
to  retreat. 

On  Sunday,  the    28th  of  June,  General  Hooker  was   re- 


GETTYSBURG.  181 

lieved  from  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  on 
the  same  day  General  Sickles,  having  met  the  Third  Corps 
at  Frederick,  Maryland,  resumed  command.  General  Bir- 
ncy  was  thus  relieved  from  the  command  of  the  corps  and 
resumed  command  of  the  first  division.  Up  to  this  time 
he  had,  against  his  will,  discharged  the  responsibilities  of  a 
temporary  command,  and  he  hailed  the  return  of  General 
Sickles  as  a  relief  from  duties  which,  for  more  than  two 
weeks,  he  had  performed  with  reluctance.  During  this  day 
(Sunday,  June  28th)  and  on  June  29th  and  30th,  the  move 
ments  of  both  armies  were  such  as  to  plainly  point  to  a 
great  battle  in  Pennsylvania.  The  new  commander  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  unable,  from  the  necessities  of  the 
case,  to  change  the  programme  which  had  been  laid  out  by 
his  predecessor,  marched  onward  to  meet  General  Lee,  who, 
seeing  the  foe  who  was  preparing  to  meet  him,  gathered 
together  the  three  columns  of  his  army  from  York,  Car 
lisle,  and  Chambersburg,  and  concentrated  them  in  Adams 
county,  near  the  peaceful  village  of  Gettysburg.  The  march 
on  Harrisburg  was  abandoned,  and  General  Lee  with  de 
liberation  made  his  preparations  for  the  greatest  pitched 
battle  of  the  war.  He  succeeded  in  concealing  his  move 
ments  from  the  commander  of  the  Union  army,  but  they 
were  gradually  developed  by  events  which  subsequently 
transpired,  and  culminated  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg. 

On  June  30th,  General  Reynolds,  commanding  the  First 
Corps,  received  orders  by  telegraph  to  assume  command  of 
the  right  wing  of  the  army,  consisting  of  his  own,  the  First 
Corps,  the  Eleventh,  General  Howard,  and  the  Third,  Gen 
eral  Sickles.  The  command  of  the  First  Army  Corps  thus 


182  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

devolved  on  General  Doubleclay,  who,  in  his  report  of  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg,  has  given  one  of  the  most  intelligible 
and  satisfactory  descriptions  of  that  battle  which  has  yet 
appeared  in  print.  The  right  wing  of  the  army,  thus  or 
ganized,  was  engaged  on  the  morning  of  July  1st,  and  it 
withstood  the  unexpected  assault  of  the  enemy,  though  in 
superior  numbers.  About  half  past  eleven  General  Rey 
nolds  fell  a  victim  to  the  ball  of  a  rebel  sharpshooter,  and 
the  command  devolved  upon  General  Doublcday,  who  was 
doing  good  work  on  Cemetery  Hill,  when  the  gallant  Han 
cock  rode  up  to  assume  command  of  both  the  Eleventh 
and  the  First  Corps.  This  was  surrendered  by  General 
Doubleday  without  hesitation;  but  soon  after  General  Han 
cock  appeared  on  the  field,  orders  came  from  General 
Howard — who  ranked  General  Hancock — which  conflicted 
with  the  orders  in  execution  at  the  time.  This  occasioned 
some  little  delay  and  confusion;  but,  owing  to  the  tact  of 
the  officers  in  command,  the  embarrassment  was  temporary, 
and  our  troops  retired  in  good  order  to  Cemetery  Hill  and 
G&ttysburg. 

The  contest  of  this  day,  which  lasted  from  nine  and  a 
half  A.  M.  to  four  and  a  half  P.  M.,  was  a  severe  struggle 
for  position.  The  Union  army  lost  in  killed  and  wounded 
more  than  the  enemy,  but  at  the  close  of  the  struggle, 
thanks  to  the  ability  of  Generals  Doubleday  and  Hancock, 
our  position  at  night  was  stronger  than  that  of  the  morning, 
and  when  the  next  day  the  remaining  corps  of  the  army 
took  position,  they  were  able  to  retain  it  and  prevent  the 
farther  advance  of  General  Lee. 

Wednesday  night,  July  1st,  was  one   long  to  be  remem- 


GETTYSBURG.  183 

bcred  by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  From  sunset  to  dawn 
the  different  corps,  each  of  which  constituted  an  army 
within  itself,  were  in  motion.  Before  midnight  General 
Slocum  arrived  with  the  Twelfth  Army  Corps,  and  took 
position  on  the  right  of  the  First  and  Eleventh,  occupying 
Gulp's  Hill.  Before  one  A.  M.  General  Sickles  arrived  with 
the  Third  Corps,  and  occupied  the  extreme  left,  immediately 
north  of  Round  Top  Hill.  The  Second  Corps,  which  was 
Hancock's  immediate  command,  came  up  after  General 
Sickles,  and  took  position  on  the  left  centre. 

This  was  the  disposition  of  the  portion  of  our  army 
which  had  reached  Gettysburg  by  sunrise  of  Thursday,  July 
2d.  The  morning  was  pleasant,  the  air  calm,  and  nothing 
denoted  the  struggle  which  took  place  during  the  afternoon. 
"  During  the  early  part  of  the  day  the  enemy  was  perfectly 
quiet,  and  not  a  sound  was  heard,  except  the  picket-firing 
and  an  occasional  shot  from  our  guns,  for  the  purpose  of 
feeling  the  whereabouts  and  strength  of  the  enemy."  (Nar 
rative  of  Professor  Jacobs,  page  32.) 

At  twelve  o'clock  General  Birney,  believing  the  enemy 
to  be  making  a  movement  towards  the  left,  asked  and  re 
ceived  permission  from  General  Sickles  to  send  out  a  de 
tachment  of  the  First  United  States  sharpshooters,  with  the 
Third  Maine  regiment  as  a  support,  under  Captain  J.  C. 
Briscoe  of  his  staff,  to  feel  the  enemy's  right.  These  were 
advanced  from  the  Peach  Orchard  to  the  Middletown  road, 
but  were  driven  back,  with  the  loss  of  about  sixty  in  killed 
and  wounded,  demonstrating,  however,  that  General  Birncy's 
suspicion  was  correct.  Birney  then  formed  his  line,  with 
Ward  on  the  left,  resting  on  Broad  Top,  De  Trobriand  in 


184  DAVID   BELL   BIRNEY. 

the  centre,  and  Graham  on  the  right,  in  the  Peach  Orchard. 
The  batteries  of  the  division  were  also  placed  so  as  to  sup 
port  the  brigades,  and  Birney,  seeing  there  would  be  a 
warm  contest,  sent  an  aide  to  Major-general  Sykes,  asking 
for  the  support  which  had  been  promised. 

About  one  A.  M.,  on  July  2d,  General  Mcadc,  whose 
headquarters  had  been  at  Taneytown,  arrived  for  the  first 
time  on  the  battle-ground,  having  on  the  1st  of  July,  after 
hearing  of  the  death  of  General  Reynolds,  despatched  Gen 
eral  Hancock  to  "represent"  him  on  the  field.  When  he 
arrived  he  approved  of  the  positions  selected  and  the  dispo 
sition  of  the  troops,  which  had  been  made  under  the  direc 
tion  of  General  Hancock  by  the  different  corps  and  division 
commanders.  How  General  Meade  was  employed  from  his 
arrival  until  three  P.  M.  of  July  2d,  docs  not  appear  from 
his  official  report.  "About  three  P.  M."  he  "rode  to  the 
extreme  left,  and  found  that  Major-general  Sickles  had  ad 
vanced"  too  far.  "Having  found  Major-general  Sickles," 
General  Meade  "was  explaining  to  him  that  he  was  too  far 
in  the  advance."  when  General  Birney  ordered  his  batteries 
to  open  fire  upon  the  enemy,  who  was  advancing  towards 
him  on  a  line  parallel  with  the  Emmetsburg  road.  The 
enemy  immediately  returned  the  fire  and,  bringing  forward 
columns  of  infantry,  made  a  most  vigorous  assault.  Ac 
cording  to  General  Meade,  "the  Third  Corps  sustained 
the  shock  most  heroically,"  and,  supported  by  the  Fifth 
Corps  under  General  Sykes,  still  kept  up  the  contest. 
About  four  o'clock  General  Sickles  was  wounded  in  the 
leg,  which  was  amputated  upon  the  field.  The  correspond 
ent  of  the  Cincinnati  Gazette,  describing  the  battle  of 


GETTYSBURG.  185 

Gettysburg,  under  date  of  July  8,  1863,  says,  in  the  narra 
tive  of  the  events  of  July  3d :  "  On  a  stretcher,  borne  by  a 
couple  of  stout  privates,  lay  General  Sickles,  with  his  right 
leg  amputated,  grim  and  stoical,  with  his  cap  pulled  over 
his  eyes,  his  hands  folded  across  his  breast,  and  a  cigar  in 
his  mouth.  For  a  man  who  had  just  lost  his  leg,  and 
whose  life  was  in  imminent  jeopardy,  this  was  cool  indeed." 

After  this  disaster  to  General  Sickles  the  command  of 
the  corps  fell  upon  General  Birncy.  The  men  were  closely 
pressed,  and,  as  General  Meade  says  in  his  official  report, 
"  Notwithstanding  the  stubborn  resistance  of  the  Third 
Corps,  under  Major-general  Birney,  (Major-general  Sickles 
having  been  wounded  early  in  the  action,)  superiority  in 
numbers  and  corps  of  the  enemy  enabling  him  to  outflank 
its  advanced  position,  General  Birney  was  counseled  to  fall 
back  and  reform  behind  the  line  originally  designed  to  be 
held." 

The  correspondent  of  the  New  York  World,  under  date 
of  July  4th,  describes  the  righting  on  the  left  as  follows : 
"  Silence,  deep,  awfully  impressive,  but  momentary,  was  per 
mitted,  as  if  by  magic,  to  dwell  upon  the  field.  Only  the 
groans,  unheard  before,  of  the  wounded  and  dying,  only  a 
murmur — a  morning  memory — of  the  breeze  through  the 
foliage,  only  the  low  rattle  of  preparation  for  what  was  to 
come,  embroidered  this  blank  stillness.  Then,  as  the  smoke 
beyond  the  village  was  lightly  borne  toward  the  eastward, 
the  woods  on  the  left  were  seen  filled  with  dark  masses  of 
infantry,  three  columns  deep,  who  advanced  at  a  quick-step. 
Magnificent !  Such  a  charge,  by  such  a  force,  —  full  forty- 
five  thousand  men,  under  Hill  and  Longstreet, — even  though 

24 


186  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

it  threatened  to  pierce  and  annihilate  the  Third  Corps, 
against  which  it  was  directed,  drew  forth  cries  of  admira 
tion  from  all  who  beheld  it.  General  Sickles  and  his 
splendid  command  withstood  the  shock  with  a  determina 
tion  that  checked,  but  could  not  fully  restrain  it.  Back, 
inch  by  inch,  fighting,  falling,  cheering,  dying,  the  men 
retired.  The  rebels  came  on  more  furiously,  halting  at  in 
tervals,  pouring  volleys  that  struck  our  troops  down  in 
scores.  General  Sickles,  righting  desperately,  was  struck  in 
the  leg  and  fell.  The  Second  Corps  came  to  the  aid  of  his 
decimated  column.  The  battle  then  grew  fearful.  Standing 
up  firmly  against  the  storm,  our  troops,  though  still  out 
numbered,  gave  back  shot  for  shot,  volley  for  volley,  almost 
death  for  death.  Still  the  enemy  was  not  restrained.  Down 
he  came  upon  our  left,  with  a  momentum  that  nothing 
could  check.  The  rifle  guns  that  lay  before  our  infantry, 
on  a  knoll,  were  in  danger  of  capture.  General  Hancock 
was  wounded  in  the  thigh,  General  Gibbon  in  the  shoulder. 
The  Fifth  Corps,  as  the  Third  and  Second  wavered,  went 
again  into  the  breach,  with  such  shouts  and  such  volleys  as 
made  the  rebel  column  tremble  at  last. 

"Up  from  the  valley  in  the  rear  another  battery  came 
rolling  to  the  heights,  and  threw  its  shot  into  the  midst 
of  the  enemy's  ranks.  Crash !  crash !  with  discharges  deaf 
ening,  terrible,  the  musketry  fire  went  on.  The  enemy, 
reforming  after  every  failure,  with  wonderful  celerity  and 
firmness,  still  pressed  up  the  declivity.  What  hideous  car 
nage  filled  the  minutes  between  the  appearance  of  the 
Fifth  Corps  and  the  advance  to  the  support  of  the  rebel 
columns  of  another  column  from  their  right,  I  cannot  bear 


GETTYSBURG.  187 

to  tell.  Men  fell,  as  the  leaves  fall  in  autumn,  before 
those  horrible  discharges.  Faltering  for  an  instant,  the 
rebel  columns  seemed  about  to  recede  before  the  tempest; 
but  their  officers,  who  could  be  seen  through  the  smoke  of 
the  conflict  galloping  and  swinging  their  swords  along  the 
lines,  rallied  them  anew,  and  the  whole  line  sprang  forward, 
the  next  instant,  as  if  to  break  through  our  own  by  mere 
weight  of  numbers.  A  division  from  the  Twelfth  Corps 
reached  the  scene  at  this  instant,  and  at  the  same  time 
Sedgwick  came  up  with  the  Sixth  Corps,  having  finished 
a  march  of  nearly  thirty-six  consecutive  hours.  To  what 
rescue  they  came  their  officers  saw  and  told  them.  Weary 
as  they  were,  hungry,  fit  to  drop  to  slumber,  the  wish  for 
victory  so  overcame  the  thought  of  exhaustion,  that  they 
cast  themselves  '  en  masse '  into  the  battle,  and  went  down 
upon  the  enemy  with  death  in  their  weapons  and  cheers  on 
their  lips.  The  rebel's  camel's  back  was  broken  by  this 
'feather.'  His  line  staggered,  reeled,  and  drifted  slowly 
back,  while  the  shouts  of  our  soldiers,  lifted  up  amid  the 
din  of  musketry  and  over  the  bodies  of  the  dead  and 
wounded,  proclaimed  the  completeness  of  the  victory." 

In  the  New  York  Herald  of  July  6th,  under  date  of  the 
4th,  appears  the  following: — 

"  Birncy  commanding  the  first  division  of  the  corps,  con 
sisting  of  the  brigades  of  Ward,  Graham  and  De  Trobriand, 
the  heroes  of  Chancellorsville,  with  Clark's  New  Jersey  bat 
tery,  were  first  in  position  and  compelled  to  meet  the  first 
assault,  alone  and  unsupported,  although  completely  over 
whelmed  and  subjected  to  a  fire  of  musketry  and  artillery 
that  never  was  equalled  in  this  or  any  other  war.  This 


188  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

division  held  their  ground  bravely,  and  fought  as  veterans 
can  fight;  but  they  could  not  be  expected  to  stand  long 
against  such  fearful  odds,  and  soon  were  forced  to  fall 
back.  They  were  then  joined  by  Ayres'  division  of  the 
Fifth  Corps,  and  Humphrey's  of  the  Third — Berry's  old 
division,  formerly  Hooker's — and  being  heavily  reinforced 
with  artillery,  again  advanced  and  renewed  the  contest. 
At  this  point  the  battle  raged  even  fiercer  than  before. 
Closer  and  closer  the  lines  drew  together,  until  the  en 
gagement  became  an  actual  hand-to-hand  encounter,  the 
bayonet  playing  a  conspicuous  part,  strewing  the  ground 
with  Union  and  rebel  troops  in  one  common  mass.  *  *  * 
Out  of  this  little  corps  nearly  three  thousand  men  were 
placed  kors  du  combat  in  this  short  engagement.  *  *  * 
The  gallant  Birney  was  twice  struck  by  the  bullets  of  the 
enemy,  but  happily  only  slightly  injured.  It  is  but  proper 
to  mention  that  this  single  action  saved  us  the  day,  and 
for  this  the  credit  is  due  to  General  Sickles.  Repeatedly 
he  notified  General  Meade  that  the  enemy  were  pressing 
to  turn  our  left  flank,  which  the  Third  Corps  formed;  but 
still  he  was  required  to  hold  the  position,  facing  to  the 
west,  when  he  was  convinced  the  attack  was  coming  from 
the  south.  Against  this  lie  protested  without  avail,  until 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  a  council  of  corps 
commanders  was  called.  While  this  council  was  in  ses 
sion,  and  before  it  had  decided  upon  a  plan  of  battle,  the 
attack  came.  General  Meade  at  once  said  to  General 
Sickles,  'Your  left  is  attacked;  that  determines  our  plan; 
make  your  dispositions  accordingly.'  ' 

It  was  during  the  afternoon  of  Thursday,  July  3d,  about 


GETTYSBURG.  189 

dusk,  that  General  Hancock,  perceiving  the  danger  which 
threatened  the  Third  Corps,  gallantly  dashed  forward  with 
a  division  of  his  own  men,  and,  approaching  General  Birney, 
said: 

"  General,  you  are  nearly  surrounded  by  the  enemy." 

"I  know  it,  General  Hancock,"  replied  Birney;  "we  have 
been  contending  against  a  superior  force  all  the  afternoon." 

"I  have  seen  this,"  said  Hancock,  "and  have  brought 
you  these  reinforcements.  General  Willard  is  in  imme 
diate  command,  and  will  fight  the  men." 

In  a  few  moments  General  Willard  was  shot  dead,  but 
his  men,  stimulated  by  General  Hancock,  moved  to  the 
position  assigned  them,  and  thus  encouraged  the  tired  men 
of  the  Third  Corps  to  make  another  onset. 

As  stated  by  the  correspondents  already  quoted,  the  battle 
at  this  point  was  more  deadly  than  before.  The  rebels,  dis 
appointed  in  maintaining  the  advantage  they  believed  they 
had  gained,  fought  with  renewed  desperation;  but  to  no 
purpose;  our  men  did  not  yield  an  inch  of  ground,  and 
when  night  threw  her  veil  over  the  scene,  the  Third  Corps 
maintained  the  position  they  had  originally  taken. 

This  day's  fighting  decided  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  and 
the  Third  Corps  suffered  more  severely  during  this  day 
than  in  any  previous  action.  Its  officers  and  men  had  met 
the  enemy  at  Yorktown,  Williamsburg,  Fair  Oaks,  and 
during  the  seven  days,  at  Manassas,  Chantilly,  Fredericks- 
burg  and  Chancellorsville,  but  the  hail  storm  of  rebel  shot 
and  bullet  had  never  fallen  upon  them  so  effectually  as 
at  Gettysburg,  on  Thursday,  the  2d  day  of  July,  1863. 
Thinned  by  previous  battles,  they  went  into  the  action 


190  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

about  eight  thousand  strong,  though  in  Fredericksburg  in 
December,  1862,  they  numbered  between  sixteen  and  seven 
teen  thousand,  officers  and  men.  After  the  battle  of  Get 
tysburg  they  could  not  muster  more  than  four  thousand. 
During  the  action  of  July  2d,  the  losses  in  Birney's  division 
alone,  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  were  as  follows : — 

The  first  brigade,  General  Graham, 735 

The  second  brigade,  General  Ward, 763 

The  third  brigade,  General  De  Trobriand,  .     .     .     490 


Total, 1,988 

During  the  night  of  July  2d,  the  Third  Corps  rested  on 
their  arms,  and  though  ready  the  next  day  to  renew  the 
contest,  they  took  no  active  part.  They  were  moved  up 
under  the  heavy  artillery  fire  to  support  General  Newton, 
commanding  a  part  of  the  First  Corps,  but  the  enemy 
was  repulsed  without  their  co-operation. 

In  the  report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Sanitary  Commis 
sion,  of  the  operations  of  the  Commission,  during  and 
after  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  J.  H.  Douglas,  the  associate 
Secretary,  writes :  "  The  Third  Corps  hospital  was  on  high 
ground,  south  of  Swartz's  house,  about  one  hundred  rods 
above  the  junction  of  White's  creek  with  Rock  creek,  on 
Schwitzel's  farm;  it  contained  two  thousand  five  hundred 
and  fifty  wounded."  Besides  the  losses  we  have  enumer 
ated,  not  only  did  General  Sickles  lose  a  leg,  but  Brigadier- 
general  Graham,  commanding  the  first  brigade  of  the  first 
division,  and  Lieutenant-colonel  F.  F.  Cavada,  commanding 
the  One-hundred-and-fourteenth  Pennsylvania  volunteers  (in 
the  absence  of  Colonel  Collis)  were  wounded  and  taken 


GETTYSBURG.  191 

prisoners.  They  were  carried  to  Libby  Prison,  where  they 
remained  until  March,  1864.  During  his  absence,  Lieu 
tenant-colonel  Cavada  spent  his  idle  hours  in  making  pcn- 
and-pencil  sketches  on  such  scraps  of  paper  as  he  could 
command.  These  sketches  he  and  some  of  his  companions 
brought  away,  concealed  between  their  stockings  and  their 
boots,  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Cavada  afterwards  incorporated 
them  into  a  book,  entitled  "Libby  Life;  Experiences  of  a 
Prisoner  of  War  in  Richmond,  Virginia,  1863—1864,"  to 
which  the  reader  is  referred  as  one  of  the  most  entertain 
ing  and  fascinating  books  which  the  rebellion  has  created. 
It  will  long  remain  as  the  " Picciola"  of  American  litera 
ture,  though  written  without  the  inspiration  of  the  little 
flower  which  inspired  Saintine  during  his  confinement;  for 
the  "  Libby,"  though  productive  of  animal  life,  was  fatal  to 
the  existence  of  any  subjects  of  the  vegetable  kingdom. 

During  the  night  of  the  3d  of  July,  General  Lee  retired 
with  his  forces  southward,  repulsed,  dispirited,  and  thwarted 
in  their  designs  to  pillage  and  destroy  the  principal  cities 
of  Pennsylvania.  While  Lee  and  his  commanders  were 
making  ready  for  the  retreat,  the  council  of  corps  com 
manders  of  the  Union  army  was  held  at  General  Meade's 
headquarters.  What  transpired  during  this  council  few 
know  except  those  who  participated  in  it.  If  the  secret 
history  of  the  rebellion  is  ever  written,  the  discussions  of 
this  council  and  the  opinions  of  its  different  members  will 
be  revealed.  Already  a  part  of  its  deliberations  have  been 
given  to  the  public,  but  the  writer  will  not  dwell  on  them. 
Their  repetition  would  be  fruitless.  Whatever  may  have 
been  the  opinions  of  the  different  corps  commanders  on 


192  DAVID    BELL    BIRNET. 

the  night  of  July  3,  1863,  the  world  acknowledges  that  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg  was  a  victory  for  the  Union  arms,  and 
for  this  victory  the  people  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  citizens 
of  Philadelphia  owe  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  a  debt  they 
can  never  discharge.  Every  officer  and  soldier,  whether  he 
comes  from  the  North,  the  East,  or  the  West,  has  a  claim 
upon  Pennsylvania,  which,  for  the  sake  of  humanity,  it  is 
hoped  may  never  be  dishonored. 


CAMPAIGN   AFTEK    GETTYSBUKG. 


S  is  well  known,  the  pursuit  of  Lee's 
army,  by  General  Meade,  was  fruitless. 
In  this  pursuit  the  Third  Corps  did 
its  share,  General  Birney  retaining 
command.  He,  his  officers,  his  men, 
and  his  friends  considered  that  he 
was  justly  entitled  to  the  command, 
at  least  until  the  return  of  General  Sickles.  In  this  opin 
ion  the  commander  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  did  not 
participate.  He  thought  the  exigencies  of  the  service  de 
manded  that  the  Third  Corps  should  be  increased;  and  it 
was  increased,  but  not  by  filling  the  decimated  regiments 
or  by  adding  to  the  corps  new  ones.  An  order  was  issued 
July  12,  1863,  by  which  the  independent  command  of 
Major-general  French,  which  had  been  at  Harper's  Ferry 
during  the  Gettysburg  campaign,  was  consolidated  with  the 
Third  Corps  as  the  third  division.  From  this  time  the 
spirit  of  the  Third  Corps  was  broken,  and  its  hallowed  as 
sociations  and  strong  bond  of  union  could  not  preserve  its 
identity,  after  the  old  members  were  overwhelmed  by  the 
tide  of  new-comers. 

One  of  the  last  acts  of  the  officers  and  men  of  the  old 
Third  Corps  proper  was  to  contribute  about  five  thousand 
dollars  from  their  pay,  to  procure  a  testimonial  for  General 

25  (193) 


194  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

Sickles,  their  old  commander.  Prompted  by  a  desire  for  his 
return,  they  thought  the  most  fitting  testimonial  would  be 
a  carriage  suitable  for  campaigning,  four  horses,  and  their 
equipments;  in  which  they  wished  to  see  their  General 
once  more  at  their  head.  This  privilege,  however,  was  de 
nied  them,  for  after  July  2,  1863,  the  day  on  which  he 
was  wounded,  General  Sickles  was  never  assigned  to  a 
command.  lie  received,  in  due  time,  the  testimonial,  and 
the  committee  having  the  matter  in  charge  complimented 
the  writer  by  entrusting  him  with  the  selection  of  the  car 
riage.  As  nothing  suitable  could  be  found  in  the  market, 
he  had  one  built,  which  met  the  approval,  not  only  of  the 
General  for  whom  it  was  intended,  but  of  all  the  contri 
butors  who  saw  it- 
After  General  French's  command  had  been  added  to  the 
Third  Corps,  as  he  was  the  ranking  officer,  General  Birncy 
relinquished  to  him  the  command  of  the  corps  and  resumed 
that  of  the  first  division. 

After  this  digression,  let  us  follow  the  Third  Corps  in 
the  pursuit  of  Lee's  retreating  army.  This  retreat  was  first 
known  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  from  a  reconnoitcring 
party  which  General  Birncy  had  sent  out  under  command 
of  Lieutenant  J.  C.  Briscoe,  on  the  morning  of  July  5th, 
the  enemy,  on  the  4th,  having  simply  drawn  back  his  left 
flank,  with  the  intention,  as  General  Meade  surmised,  of 
assuming  a  new  line.  The  5th  and  6th  of  July  were  em 
ployed  by  the  Union  army  in  succoring  the  wounded  and 
burying  the  dead,  when,  this  sad  duty  being  completed,  a 
movement  was  begun  towards  Middletown,  Maryland.  After 
halting  a  day  at  that  place  to  provide  supplies,  the  army 


CAMPAIGN    AFTER    GETTYSBURG.  195 

moved  through  South  Mountain,  and  by  the  12th  of  July 
was  in  front  of  the  enemy,  near  Williamsport.  The  next 
day  was  occupied  in  making  reconnoissances  and  preparing 
for  attack,  but  on  advancing,  on  the  morning  of  the  14th, 
it  was  ascertained  the  enemy  had  retired  the  previous 
night  across  the  Potomac,  by  a  bridge  at  Falling  Waters 
and  a  ford  at  Williamsport.  The  Third  Corps,  under  com 
mand  of  General  French,  continued  the  pursuit  without 
success  by  the  following  march :  on  the  15th,  through 
Sharpsburg  to  Pleasant  Valley,  over  a  portion  of  the  battle 
field  of  Antiet'.im,  reaching  the  Potomac  and  crossing  at 
Harper's  Ferry  on  the  evening  of  the  17th;  on  the  18th,  to 
the  vicinity  of  Snicker's  Gap;  on  the  20th,  to  Uppcrville; 
on  the  22d,  crossing  the  Manassas  Gap  Railroad  at  Pied 
mont  Station,  to  Petersburg  and  Linden,  two  little  villages 
situated  between  the  mountains  which  form  Manassas  Gap. 
On  the  23d  a  skirmish  occurred  in  the  gap,  which  is  known 
as  the  "Wapping  Heights  affair."  in  which  the  two  divisions 
of  the  Third  Corps  proper  were  alone  engaged,  losing  nearly 
a  hundred  men  in  killed  and  wounded.  The  next  morning:, 

o" 

the  24th,  they  moved  towards  Front  Royal,  when,  finding 
the  enemy  had  crossed  the  Shenandoah  river  and  destroyed 
the  bridges,  they  returned  through  the  gap.  On  the  25th, 
they  continued  the  march  through  Salem  towards  Warren- 
ton;  on  the  26th,  through  Warrenton;  and  on  the  27th,  to 
the  line  of  the  Rappahannock, — General  Birney's  division 
occupying  the  right,  and  going  into  camp  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  White  Sulphur  Springs. 


IN    CAMP. 

'T  White  Sulphur  Springs  General  Bir- 
ney  took  for  his  headquarters,  "and 
opened  for  the  season,"  a  part  of  the 
hotel  of  that  once  famous  watering- 
place,  which  had  withstood  the  ravages 
of  war.  Here  the  men  enjoyed  rest, 
after  the  hard  marching  and  harder 
righting  in  which  they  had  been  engaged  from  June  llth. 
General  Birney  had  on  previous  occasions  done  all  in  his 
power  to  relieve  the  tedium  of  camp  life  for  his  officers 
and  men.  How  well  this  was  done  is  described  in  a  letter 
published  in  the  New  York  Herald,  September  6,  1863, 
from  which  the  following  extracts  are  not  inappropriate:  — 
"Really  General  Birney  has  cast  his  lot  in  pleasant 
places,  and  his  truly  veteran  division  has  reason  to  be 
thankful  that  even  a  short  season  of  rest  is  given  it.  The 
headquarters  were  pitched  directly  within  the  enclosure  of 
the  spring  grounds.  The  numerous  cottages  attached  to  the 
premises,  once  the  favorite  summer  residences  of  the  fashion 
ables  of  the  South,  are  now  made  attractive  by  fair  visitors 
from  the  North  and  the  surrounding  country.  In  the  ab 
sence  of  more  warlike  amusements,  the  elegant  young  men 
of  the  staff  make  themselves  agreeable  by  polite  attention 
to  the  ladies.  Beneath  gigantic  trees,  stretching  out  their 
dense  covers  of  foliage,  to  shut  out  the  fierce  August 
(196) 


IN    CAMP.  197 

heat,  behold  these  battle-scarred  veterans  reclining  in  quiet 
misery  upon  the  tufted  grass,  or  promenading  the  broad 
avenue  in  the  spring  grounds,  supported  in  their  severe  af 
fliction  by  the  smiles  and  converse  of  fair  ladies ;  the  soft 
strains  of  music  from  the  band  of  the  Philadelphia  Zouaves 
(detached  for  duty  at  headquarters)  wafted  through  the 
groves  and  mingled  with  the  voices  of  singing  men  and 
peals  of  laughter,  full  and  free;  fountains  playing  and  cool 
springs  offering  continual  refreshment;  horseback  riding, 
swinging,  or  walking  for  exercise,  with  occasionally  a  little 
dancing  by  way  of  amusement;  tables,  groaning  under  the 
choicest  selections  from  the  gardens  of  Virginia  and  the 
markets  of  Washington,  set  amid  the  ancient  shades,  in 
viting  and  tempting  the  appetites  even  of  warriors :  these 
are  the  dangers  these  valiant  men  are  now  called  upon  to 
brave.  Every  thing  wears  an  air  foreign  to  war  and  particu 
larly  suggestive  of  an  immense  pic-nic." 

During  this  respite  from  active  campaigning  his  head 
quarters  were  visited  by  a  number  of  friends,  whom  he  was 
always  ready  to  make  welcome.  At  this  time  it  was  pro 
posed  in  Washington  to  fit  out  an  expedition  to  Texas, 
under  the  direction  of  General  Sickles  as  diplomatic  agent 
and  General  Birney  as  military  commander,  his  old  division 
to  be  the  nucleus  of  the  force  to  be  sent.  After  much  dis 
cussion  and  negotiation  this  programme  was  abandoned,  and 
General  Birney  remained  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

At  the  same  time  he  proposed  to  write  the  life  of  his 
friend  General  Kearny,  and  began  to  collect  materials  for 
the  work.  His  labors,  however,  were  soon  interrupted  by 
active  campaigning,  and  he  was  never  able  to  resume  them. 


CAMPAIGN    TJNDEK   MEADE. 


Y  the  middle  of  September  General 
Lee's  army  in  Virginia,  having  been 
depleted  to  reinforce  Bragg's  army  in 
Georgia,  retired  towards  Richmond, 
and  it  was  thought  that,  "if  General 
Meade's  advance  was  rapid  and  ener 
getic,  he  would  be  able  to  strike  a 


telling  blow  at  the  rebel  army."  Little,  however,  is  known 
of  the  movements  of  the  Union  army  during  the  fall  of 
1863,  for  no  official  reports  have  yet  been  made  of  this 
campaign,  and  at  the  commencement  the  War  Department 
ordered  the  press  to  abstain  from  the  publication  of  military 
movements.  It  was  known,  however,  that  a  movement  was 
begun  about  the  middle  of  September,  and  a  march  was 
made  to  the  Rapidan,  where  the  army  remained  until  the 
12th  of  October,  "like  a  horse  fighting  flics  in  summer  time, 
with  nothing  heavier  than  guerillas  to  occupy  its  attention." 
On  October  12th  the  army  took  up  the  line  of  March  to 
wards  Washington,  and  before  the  20th  were  encamped 
around  Bull  Run  and  CentreviHe.  A  correspondent  of  the 
Army  and  Navy  Journal,  writing  from  Warrenton,  October 
26th,  says:  "If  there  be  any  truth  in  the  maxim  of  Mar 
shal  Saxe,  'that  the  secret  of  success  lies  in  the  legs  of  the 
soldier,'  our  late  campaign  should  be  a  great  success  indeed, 
(198) 


CAMPAIGN    UNDER    MEADE.  199 

for  we  have  performed  as  much  leg-work,  in  the  way  of 
marching  and  countermarching,  as  could  well  be  crowded 
into  a  fortnight." 

General  Birney,  writing  to  a  friend,  under  date  of  Oc 
tober  22d,  said :  "  Do  not  believe  newspaper  correspondents, 
writing  under  the  terror  of  expulsion,  about  the  skill  and 
daring  displayed  in  this  last  movement  of  the  army.  It  was 
a  forced  retreat,  before  an  inferior  force,  offering  us  battle 
daily,  on  ground  affording  us  the  vantage.  The  army  was 
never  in  better  condition  for  fighting,  but  the  men  are  tired 
of  this  wolf-and-dog  strategy." 

While  retreating  from  the  Rappahannock  the  first  division 
of  the  Third  Corps  was  attacked,  near  Auburn,  by  the  cav 
alry  of  the  enemy.  The  division  was  immediately  formed, 
with  Graham's  brigade  in  the  front  line,  the  Sixty-third 
Pennsylvania,  composed  chiefly  of  conscripts,  being  in  the 
advance.  General  Birney,  seeing  this  regiment  waver,  rode 
up  rapidly  and  cried  out,  "Come  on,  boys;  go  into  them. 
Charge !"  The  regiment  at  once  rallied  and  forced  back 
the  enemy.  During  this  short  but  stubborn  encounter  the 
division  lost  eleven  killed  and  forty-two  wounded.  Among 
the  wounded  were  the  bugler  and  two  orderlies  of  the  gen 
eral's  escort.  After  this  encounter  the  division  moved  on, 
and  encamped  with  the  rest  of  the  corps  at  Greenwich. 

The  intelligent  correspondent  of  the  Army  and  Navy 
Journal,  writing,  on  October  26,  1863,  says  that  on  Thurs 
day,  October  22,  1863,  General  Meade  massed  his  army 
in  the  vicinity  of  Bull  Run,  eagerly  awaiting  an  attack  by 
the  rebels,  so  that  for  the  third  time  the  Union  army  tried 
its  fortunes  on  the  same  ground.  The  rebels,  however,  did 


200  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

not  accept  the  challenge.  While  the  main  army  was  in 
this  position  General  Birney,  with  the  first  division  of  the 
Third  Corps,  was  placed  in  front  of  Fairfax  Station,  which 
was  made  the  temporary  depot  of  supplies,  and  by  the  dis 
position  of  his  troops  and  the  cavalry  of  Buford  and  Gregg, 
provided  against  any  attempt  of  the  enemy  to  gain  our 
rear.  These  movements,  however,  produced  no  results.  The 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  after  its  fortnight's  race  up  and 
down  Virginia,  settled  down  near  Warrcnton.  This,  how 
ever,  was  not  regretted  by  the  officers  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  who  were  unanimously  persuaded  that  the  line  of 
the  E-apidan  was  a  false  position.  Here  the  army  remained 
until  the  first  week  in  November,  1863,  when  General 
Meade  transferred  his  front  from  Cedar  Hun  to  the  line 
of  the  Rappahannock.  While  this  movement  was  going 
on  the  Third  Corps  moved  southward,  by  way  of  Kelly's 
ford,  where  they  had  a  brisk  skirmish.  General  Birney 
was  temporarily  in  command  of  the  Third  Corps,  General 
French  having  at  the  time  command  of  the  left  column  of 
the  army.  At  Kelly's  ford  General  Birney,  by  a  move 
ment  which  elicited  the  admiration  of  all  who  witnessed 
it,  made  a  complete  surprise  of  the  enemy,  and,  though 
vigorously  resisted,  effected  a  crossing  with  a  very  small 
loss.  This  movement  was  described  by  an  eye-witness  in 
the  following  words  : — 

"During  the  first  week  in  November,  1863,  the  Third 
Corps  lay  on  the  right  bank  of  Licking  creek,  on  the 
Orange  and  Alexandria  Railroad,  about  four  miles  west  of 
Warrenton  Junction.  On  the  evening  of  November  6th 
the  order  for  this  movement  was  received.  It  placed 


CAMPAIGN    UNDER    MEADE.  201 

General  Birney  in  command  of  the  Third  Corps,  (General 
French  being  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  left  grand 
column  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  composed  of  the 
Third  and  Fifth  Corps.)  His  instructions  were  to  move 
at  daylight,  the  following  morning,  to  Kelly's  ford  via 
Morrisville,  and  force  the  passage  of  the  Rappahannock 
river. 

"  By  two,  P.  M.,  November  7th,  the  first  division  was 
massed,  screened  from  observation,  in  rear  of  Mount  Holly 
Church.  A  few  of  our  cavalry  were  picketing  at  this  point; 
the  enemy's  infantry  in  force,  under  Ewell,  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river,  being  in  plain  view;  their  horses  grazing 
on  the  low  ground,  and  apparently  having  no  suspicion  of 
an  attack,  as  their  pickets  were  thrown  forward  to  the  north 
side  of  the  river,  above  Clarence  creek.  After  taking  a 
hasty  survey  of  the  ground,  and  ascertaining  where  the  ford 
was,  General  Birney  ordered  forward  the  First  and  Second 
regiments  of  United  States  Sharpshooters,  to  drive  the  rebel 
pickets  across  the  river,  De  Trobriand's  brigade  supporting, 
with  orders  to  dash  across,  close  after  the  sharpshooters. 
In  the  meantime,  quickly  placing  his  artillery  in  position, 
he  opened  on  the  astonished  rebels  as  soon  as  the  sharp 
shooters  got  engaged.  It  was  a  complete  surprise.  Pratt's 
four -and -a -half- inch  guns,  from  the  heights  near  Mount 
Holly  Church,  and  Randolph's  light  twelves,  at  short  range, 
poured  in  such  a  fire  as  utterly  confounded  them.  They 
sent  forward  a  brigade  to  support  their  pickets,  but  it 
broke  and  ran,  and  our  men  plunged  through  the  river, 
capturing  between  three  and  four  hundred  prisoners,  and 
before  three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  we  had  our  first  division  in 

26 


202  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

position  on  the  south  side,  and  pontoons  were  being  laid 
for  the  artillery  and  the  rest  of  the  corps  to  cross. 

"As  an  example  of  quick  comprehension  and  rapidity  of 
action,  this  operation  is  surpassed  by  none.  No  time  was 
lost  in  needless  reconnoitering  and  giving  the  enemy  a 
chance  to  know  what  we  were  at.  Before  he  knew  there 
was  any  thing  but  cavalry  in  his  front,  our  guns  had 
opened  on  him,  the  infantry  was  charging,  and  the  thing 
done,  without  hardly  giving  his  men  time  to  buckle  on 
their  equipments. 

"During  the  night  the  enemy  fell  back,  and  we  ad 
vanced  next  day  to  Brandy  Station,  driving  his  rear  guard 
before  us.  This  movement,  in  conjunction  with  the  crossing 
at  Rappahannock  Station  by  General  Scdgwick,  compelled 
Lee  to  retreat  behind  the  Rapidan,  leaving  the  comfortable 
winter  huts  of  his  army  for  our  men  to  occupy." 

While  the  Third  Corps  was  thus  crossing  the  Rap 
pahannock  at  Kelly's  ford,  the  Sixth,  under  noble  John 
Sedgwick,  effected  a  crossing  at  Rappahannock  Station,  with 
a  loss  of  about  three  hundred  killed  and  wounded.  The 
Third  Corps,  after  crossing,  camped  for  the  night  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river,  and  the  next  morning  resumed  the 
advance,  followed  by  the  First  and  Second  Corps.  About 
noon  they  came  upon  a  strong  force  of  cavalry  and  light 
artillery  of  the  enemy,  which  they  engaged  about  two 
miles  east  of  Brandy  Station,  and  drove  them  about  four 
miles,  the  righting  continuing  until  after  dark. 

The  Third  Corps  then  encamped  near  Brandy  Station, 
where  they  remained  for  nearly  ten  days,  while  the  damage 
done  to  the  railroad  by  the  rebel  army  was  being  repaired 


CAMPAIGN  UNDER  MEADE.  203 

from  Rappahannock '  Station.  This  gave  the  men  a  little 
rest,  and  fitted  them  for  the  engagement  at  Mine  Run,  in 
which  they  took  an  active  part.  To  engage  in  this  move 
ment,  the  first  division  of  the  corps  broke  camp  on  the 
morning  of  the  26th  of  November,  and  crossed  the  Rapi- 
dan  the  evening  of  the  same  day.  The  next  morning  the 
march  was  resumed  at  daylight,  through  a  thickly  wooded 
country,  of  the  same  nature  as  that  known  as  the  Virginia 
wilderness.  General  Prince's  division,  which  led  the  advance 
of  the  corps,  came  in  contact  with  the  enemy  about  noon, 
and  with  Carr's  division,  became  hotly  engaged  between 
three  and  four  o'clock,  P.  M.  General  Birney's  division 
arrived  on  the  field  about  four  o'clock  and  immediately 
relieved  that  of  General  Carr,  which,  composed  of  inexpe 
rienced  troops,  was  being  pressed  back.  The  battle  raged 
fiercely  until  night  put  an  end  to  the  hostilities,  when  the 
enemy  withdrew,  leaving  his  dead  and  wounded  on  the 
field.  This  engagement  is  known  by  the  name  of  the 
Battle  of  Payne's  Farm. 

In  this  movement  General  Warren  took  a  prominent  part. 
After  he  had  made  disposition  of  his  forces,  he  found  them 
inadequate  to  turn  the  enemy's  right,  and  called  for  rein 
forcements.  These  were  sent  him,  and  two  divisions  of  the 
Third  Corps,  under  Generals  Carr  and  Prince,  reported  to 
him,  while  General  Birney,  with  his  first  division,  was  or 
dered  to  support  the  artillery,  thus  leaving  General  French 
without  troops.  It  was  agreed  that  the  attack  should  be 
made  at  eight  o'clock  on  Monday  morning,  when  a  vigorous 
artillery  fire  was  commenced,  but  General  Warren  report 
ing  his  force  still  insufficient  to  insure  success,  no  further 


204  DAVID    BELL    BIRNET. 

operations  were  attempted,  and  on  Tuesday  the  army  with 
drew  and  repassed  the  Rapidan  by  Germania  and  Culpepper 
fords,  resuming  its  old  front  on  the  Orange  and  Alexandria 
Railroad.  The  critic  of  the  Army  and  Navy  Journal,  in  the 
number  of  December  5,  1863,  says,  "No  adequate  reason  is 
assigned  for  this  conduct,  which  is  quite  incomprehensible. 
This  last  campaign  is  certainly  the  most  fruitless  that  has 
yet  been  undertaken." 

The  movements  resulted  principally  in  a  bon  mot,  which 
at  that  time  was  attributed  to  the  commander  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  who,  it  was  said,  answered  a  dispatch 
from  General  Ilalleck,  requesting  information  as  to  the 
locality  and  result  of  the  fight.  General  Mcade  answered 
by  telegraph,  "Mine  Run."  The  authenticity  of  this  joke 
is  doubtful,  but  its  appropriateness  was  recognized  by  the 
army,  and  for  months  afterwards  the  question  was  asked 
in  camp,  "  In  what  two  words  will  General  Meade  make 
his  report  of  the  last  movement?"  The  answer  invariably 
was,  "Mine  Run" 


WINTER    QUARTERS. 


FTER  the  failure  at  Mine  Run  the  army 
went  into  winter  quarters,  and  no 
general  movements  were  made  until 
General  Grant,  in  April,  1864,  be 
gan  to  direct  the  movements  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  During 
this  period  the  Government,  at  last 
convinced  that  the  rebellion  would 

extend  beyond  the  period  for  which  men  had  enlisted — for 
three  years — began  to  induce  re-enlistments,  with  which  the 
army  was  engaged  for  several  months.  During  this  time 
General  Birney  issued  to  his  division  the  following  order: — 

HEADQUARTERS,  FIRST  DIVISION,  THIRD  CORPS, 
January  2,  1864. 

[GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  1.] 

The  Major-general  commanding  the  division  appeals  to 
the  officers  and  men,  and  hopes  that  all  will  volunteer  to 
remain  until  the  war  for  the  Union  is  closed.  So  far  this 
division  has  led  all  others  in  the  army  of  the  United  States 
in  re-enlistments,  evincing  its  desire  to  stand  by  "  the  colors," 
and  its  commander  wishes  to  have  the  honor  of  saying  that 
all  the  regimental  organizations  led  by  him  during  the  past 
campaigns  remained  unbroken  until  the  last  armed  rebel 
has  disappeared. 

(205) 


206  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

He  promises  that  he  will  see  that  the  furloughs  and 
bounties  promised  by  the  various  orders  are  given,  and 
hopes  that  every  officer  and  man  wearing  the  "Kearny 
patch"  will  at  once  volunteer  for  the  war. 

The  division  commissary  of  musters  will  be  ready  to  mus 
ter  in  all  applicants  before  the  5th  instant. 

The  Major-general  commanding  the  division  knows  that 
he  has  never  called  on  the  division  without  a  hearty  and 
cheering  response,  and  is  confident  of  it  in  this  case.  This 
order  will  be  read  to  each  regiment  of  the  command  at 
dress  parade  this  day. 

(Signed)          D.  B.  BIRNEY, 

Major-general  commanding  division. 

Official: 

J.  BARCLAY  FASSITT, 

Captain  and  A.  A.  A.  G. 

At  this  period  Birney's  division  consisted  of  eighteen  re 
giments,  of  whom  fourteen  were  entitled  to  re-enlist  as 
veteran  regiments,  under  the  terms  of  the  orders  from  the 
War  Department.  Of  these  fourteen,  eleven  re-enlisted  and 
went  home  on  furlough  as  regimental  organizations.  Gen 
eral  Birney,  who  was  constitutionally  opposed  to  boasting 
of  any  kind,  never  lost  an  opportunity  of  speaking  of  this 
event  in  his  military  career.  He  always  claimed  that  a 
greater  proportion  of  the  men  of  his  division  had  re-enlisted 
than  in  any  division  of  the  army.  This  claim,  it  is  be 
lieved,  was  founded  upon  fact,  and  if  the  reports  of  the 
adjutant-general  at  Washington  are  ever  published,  it  is 
thought  they  will  establish  this  assertion. 


WINTER    QUARTERS.  207 

During  the  cessation  of  active  campaigning  Birney's  di 
vision  was  encamped  near  the  farm  of  John  Minor  Botts, 
of  Virginia.  The  men,  as  was  their  custom,  had  provided 
for  their  comfort  by  supplying  their  necessities  from  the  ad 
jacent  neighborhood.  Mr.  Botts  preferred  a  claim  to  the 
headquarters  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  against  the  United 
States  for  the  depredations  which  he  alleged  the  Union  sol 
diers  had  committed  upon  his  premises.  This  claim,  amount 
ing  to  several  thousand  dollars,  the  quartermaster  of  General 
Birney's  division  was  directed  to  pay,  provided  General  Bir- 
ney  would  certify  to  its  correctness.  This  General  Birney 
declined  to  do,  unless  Mr.  Botts  took  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
for  he  was  unwilling  to  appropriate  the  money  of  the  sup 
porters  of  the  Union  to  support  their  enemies  or  middle 
men.  Mr.  Botts  said  that  he  could  not  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance,  because  the  retreat  of  the  Union  armies  would 
place  his  farm  within  the  rebel  lines,  and  such  action  on 
his  part  might  subject  his  property  to  confiscation.  This 
argument,  however,  had  no  effect  on  General  Birney,  and 
he  persistently  refused  to  certify  to  the  claims  of  any  one 
who  would  not  prove  his  allegiance  to  the  Federal  Govern 
ment  by  the  oath  which  had  been  prescribed  at  Washington. 
If  Mr.  Botts  has  yet  been  able  to  prove  his  claim  upon  the 
treasury  of  the  United  States,  he  did  so  without  the  official 
sanction  of  General  Birney. 

General  Birney's  disposition  to  provide  amusement  for 
officers  and  men  of  his  division  was  again  manifested  during 
this  winter.  Weekly  receptions  were  organized,  which  fur 
nished  an  opportunity  for  social  intercourse  among  the  offi 
cers,  and  a  building  was  constructed  in  which  theatrical 


208  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

i 

representations  were  given.  These  became  so  popular,  that 
before  the  division  moved,  they  were  provided  nightly.  Be 
sides  these  amusements,  the  division  and  corps  had  their 
balls,  at  which  "  brave  men  and  fair  women  chased  the 
glowing  hours  with  flying  feet." 

These  amusements  are  thus  described  by  the  army  corre 
spondent  of  the  New  York  Herald,  under  date  of  January 
20d :  "  The  first  army  ball  of  the  season  is  to  come  off 
near  the  headquarters  of  General  Carr,  commanding  third 
division  of  Third  Army  Corps,  on  next  Monday  night- 
The  house  is  large  and  commodious,  and  stands  directly  be 
side  the  railway,  about  one  mile  south  of  Brandy  Station, 
and  in  sight  of  the  residence  of  John  M.  Botts.  A  ball 
room,  eighty  feet  by  sixty,  is  being  added,  and  supper  has 
been  ordered  for  a  very  large  number  of  guests.  The  Presi 
dent,  Secretary  of  War,  and  General  Halleck  are  among  the 
invited  guests.  A  special  train  will  be  run  to  carry  the 
ladies  directly  to  the  house,  where  platforms  and  walks  have 
been  laid  to  protect  them  from  the  mud.  The  ball  is  given 
by  the  officers  of  the  Third  Corps,  each  brigade  of  which 
will  be  represented.  Many  of  their  New  York  friends, 
both  ladies  and  gentlemen,  are  expected  to  join  in  the  fes 
tivities.  The  arrangements  are  under  the  superintendence 
of  Captain  Fassitt,  of  General  Birncy's  staff,  and  appear  to 
be  admirably  adapted  to  success." 

Under  date  of  January  27th,  the  same  writer  speaks  of 
the  ball  as  follows :  "  The  hop  and  supper  given  by  the  offi 
cers  of  the  Third  Corps  last  night  were  among  the  most 
successful  affairs  of  the  season.  A  very  large  party  of  ladies 
and  citizens  were  in  attendance,  but  shoulder-straps  and  staff- 


WINTER    QUARTERS.  209 

buttons  were  largely  in  the  ascendant.  Among  those  present 
were  Major-generals  French,  Birney,  Humphreys,  and  Briga 
dier-generals  Carr,  Mott,  Ward,  and  Morris.  The  room, 
floor,  supper,  and  management  were  excellent." 

The  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Tribune  writes  the 
following  letter : 

"  The  grand  opening  ball  of  the  season  in  the  army  came 
off  last  night,  at  the  headquarters  of  General  Carr,  and  was 
largely  attended.  Among  those  present  were  Major-generals 
French,  Birney,  Humphreys;  Brigadier-generals  Ward,  Carr, 
Mott,  Morris,  and  Hon.  J.  M.  Botts  and  daughters.  The 
music,  which  was  furnished  by  the  band  of  the  third 
brigade,  first  division,  Third  Army  Corps,  General  Torbct's 
brigade  band  of  Sixth  Army  Corps,  and  the  band  of  the 
Eighty-seventh  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  was  of  the  finest  de 
scription.  The  supper  consisted  of  every  delicacy  obtainable 
in  Washington,  and  was  tastily  spread  in  a  long  canvass 
hall,  gaily  decorated  with  flowers  and  evergreens.  The 
dancing-hall  was  one  hundred  feet  long,  and  was  also  ele 
gantly  trimmed  with  evergreens,  the  national,  corps,  and 
brigade  colors." 

In  this  way  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  amused  until 
the  early  spring  of  1864,  when  a  new  era  dawned  upon  its 
career.  By  a  unanimous  A'ote  of  the  nation,  the  rank  of 
Lieutenant-general  was  conferred  upon  General  Grant,  who, 
by  his  brilliant  campaign  at  the  West,  had  proved  himself 
to  be  the  man  around  whom  the  country  could  rally,  as  in 
the  days  of  the  Revolution  the  hopes  of  the  nation  were 
centred  upon  Washington.  After  he  had  been  made  the 
commander-in-chief  of  all  the  armies  of  the  United  States, 

27 


210  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

he  devoted  his  energy  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  for  in 
the  country  west  of  the  Alleghanies  there  was  no  more 
work  for  him  to  do.  Coming  eastward,  he  began  to  direct 
the  movements  of  this  noble  army,  which  for  the  first  time 
was  to  be  handled  by  a  man  who  understood  its  capability 
and  its  mission.  On  assuming  its  direction  he  was  asked 
his  opinion  of  the  army,  and  his  reply  will  live  in  history. 
He  said,  "It  is  a  noble  army,  in  its  organization  and  equip 
ment,  but  never  yet  has  been  taught  to  fight  its  battles 
through" 

What  criticism  could  be  more  complete  to  any  one  who 
remembers  Yorktown,  Fair  Oaks,  Antietam,  and  Gettys 
burg!  No  vain  boasting  prompted  this  remark:  for  the  man 
who  made  it  taught  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  fight  its 
battles  thoroughly  and  effectually,  from  Happahannock  Sta 
tion  southward,  until  Richmond  was  taken  and  the  rebel 
armies  were  compelled  to  surrender,  one  by  one,  from  Vir 
ginia  to  Texas;  thus  proving  that  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
was  the  pivot  on  which  the  rebellion  turned,  and,  when  han 
dled  by  a  general  of  ability,  was  able  to  close  the  gates  of 
the  temple  of  Janus,  and  give  peace  to  a  country  which  for 
years  had  been  desolated  by  internecine  war.  How  this  end 
was  accomplished,  and  the  part  which  General  Birney  took 
in  it  until  his  death,  will  occupy  our  attention  until  the 
close  of  this  sketch. 


THE  OBLITEEATKOT  OF  THE  THIED  COEPS. 

was  for  a  long  time  rumored  that  changes 
would  be  made  in  the  army  of  the  Poto 
mac.  Another  "reorganization"  was  to  be 
effected.  The  order  making  these  changes 
was  dated  March  23,  1864,  but  for  weeks 
before  its  appearance  it  was  known  that  the  old  Third 
Army  Corps  was  to  be  officially  put  out  of  existence. 
Against  this  determination  the  officers  did  not  protest,  nor 
did  they  take  any  pains  to  ask  its  postponement  or  reversal. 
They,  however,  felt  the  blow  keenly,  and,  while  they  re 
gretted  that  their  conduct  and  that  of  their  men  had  not 
procured  for  them  the  consideration  of  their  superior  offi 
cers,  they  still  felt  that  they  had  done  their  entire  duty. 
By  this  order  the  first  and  second  divisions  of  the  Third 
Corps  were  transferred  to  the  Second  Corps,  "  reserving  their 
badges  and  distinctive  marks,"  and  were  thereafter  desig 
nated  as  the  third  and  fourth  divisions  of  the  Second  Corps. 
A  week  after  the  opening  of  the  campaign  the  fourth 
division  (which  had  been  the  second  division  of  the  Third 
Corps)  was  consolidated  into  the  third  division ;  so  that, 
by  this  arrangement,  General  Birney  had  under  his  com 
mand  all  that  remained  of  the  old  Third  Corps.  It  was 
a  gratification  to  the  soldiers  to  be  again  in  the  same  com 
mand,  although  they  had  been  compelled  to  give  up  their 

(211) 


212  DAVID   BELL   BIRNEY. 

corps  organization  and  had  been  reduced  to  that  of  a 
division.  The  brigades  of  the  division  were  commanded 
by  Brigadier-generals  J.  II.  H.  Ward,  Alexander  Hayes, 
and  Gershom  Mott. 

This  organization  placed  General  Birncy  under  a  new 
corps  commander,  Major-general  Winfield  S.  Hancock,  whose 
name  stands  high  upon  the  roll  of  honor  which  has  been 
written  of  those  men  who  have  earned  the  nation's  grati 
tude  by  their  conduct  during  the  rebellion.  Talented,  cour 
teous,  gallant,  big-hearted,  and  with  a  bearing  which  proves 
that  nature  intended  him  for  a  soldier,  he  has  won  a  more 
lasting  reputation  than  any  general  of  our  armies  who  has 
not  been  entrusted  with  an  independent  command.  With 
his  quick  eye  he  soon  perceived  the  merit  of  his  new  di 
vision  general,  and  during  the  campaign  he  never  called  in 
vain  upon  Birney,  or  his  men.  Any  one  who  will  take  the 
trouble  to  examine  the  details  of  the  first  campaign  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  under  General  Grant,  from  Brandy 
Station  to  Petersburg,  will  not  fail  to  admit  the  value  of  the 
services  rendered  by  Birney's  division.  Were  the  writer  to 
enumerate  them  in  detail,  the  limits  of  this  sketch  would  be 
too  extended.  General  Grant's  movements  were  so  rapid,  so 
varied,  and  so  frequent,  that  a  detailed  history  of  the  ser 
vices  of  any  division  would  make  a  volume  larger  than  this. 
The  writer  will  therefore  content  himself  with  a  rapid  enu 
meration  of  the  movements  of  General  Birney's  command. 

The  Appendix  contains  no  report  by  General  Birney  of 
any  of  these  movements.  He  had  no  time  to  prepare  any 
between  the  opening  of  the  campaign  of  1864  and  his 
death,  in  October.  The  absence  of  these  reports  is  regretted 


THE    OBLITERATION    OF    THE    THIRD    CORPS.  213 

by  his  superior  and  subordinate  officers;  for,  as  many  have 
said  and  written  to  the  writer,  there  are  many  occurrences 
of  this  campaign  which  no  one  can  explain  as  well  as 
Birncy  could  have  done,  and  by  his  death  many  matters  of 
certainty  were  resolved  into  matters  of  doubt  and  of  specu 
lation. 

During  this  campaign  he  wrote  very  few  letters,  and,  as 
no  reports  of  general  officers  have  yet  been  published,  the 
only  source  of  information  is  the  correspondence  published 
in  the  daily  papers  at  the  time.  These,  being  hurriedly 
written,  are  sometimes  inaccurate,  as  the  writers  were 
often  compelled  to  get  their  information  during  the  excite 
ment  of  an  action.  Considering,  however,  the  disadvantages 
under  which  they  have  always  labored,  it  is  surprising  that 
so  few  mistakes  have  occurred  in  the  letters  of  army  corres 
pondents,  and  the  writer  willingly  thus  expresses  his  grati 
tude  to  them  for  their  industry  and  fidelity  in  keeping  their 
readers  advised  of  the  movements  of  our  armies.  The 
enterprize  of  the  press,  during  the  rebellion,  has  been  un 
precedented;  and  the  people  of  the  United  States  have, 
through  this  spirit  of  enterprize,  been  able  to  read  the  his 
tory  of  the  war  as  it  progressed,  a  circumstance  without 
parallel  in  the  history  of  any  other  nation. 


GKANT'S   MAEOH   TOWARDS   RICHMOND. 

ENERAL  GRANT  was  "ready"  to  move 
by  the  3d  of  May,  1864.  On  that  day 
the  army  broke  camp  and,  with  six  days' 
rations  in  the  haversacks  of  the  men, 
was  put  in  motion.  About  midnight 
the  Second  Corps  was  moving  towards 
Ely's  ford,  over  the  Rapidan,  and  on  the  4th  of  May 
General  Birney's  division  occupied  the  same  ground 
over  which  it  had  fought  during  the  battle  of  Chan- 
cellorsville,  just  one  year  previous,  and  there  rested  until 
daylight  of  Thursday,  May  5th. 

At  daylight  the  Second  Corps  was  moving  in  a  nearly 
southerly  direction,  and  had  reached  Todd's  tavern,  at  the 
junction  of  the  Brock  and  Pamunkcy  roads,  when  orders 
were  received  for  an  immediate  countermarch,  to  unite  with 
the  left  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  which  had  met  the  enemy  as 
early  as  ten  o'clock,  A.  M.,  who  opposed  its  further  advance 
with  success.  This  movement  was  successfully  executed, 
and  as  soon  as  General  Hancock  had  formed  his  line  of 
battle,  which  extended  along  the  Brock  road,  with  the  right 
a  little  to  the  north  of  the  plank  road,  he  gave  orders  to 
advance.  The  enemy  was  immediately  encountered  upon  en 
tering  the  woods,  which  were  a  thick  and  tangled  growth 

of  small  trees   and  large   branching   shrubs,  preventing   the 
(214) 


GRANT'S  MARCH  TOWARDS  RICHMOND.  215 

use  of  artillery,  save  upon  the  plank  road,  where,  however, 
it  was  not  this  evening  called  into  requisition.  "  The  con 
test  was  exceedingly  stubborn  and  bloody.  The  corps,  how 
ever,  held  its  ground,"  and  at  dark  brought  off  one  of  the 
pieces  of  artillery,  which  had  been  left  on  the  plank  road 
by  a  portion  of  Griffin's  division  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  when 
they  were  compelled  to  fall  back,  early  in  the  afternoon. 
This  was  done  by  a  detachment  of  the  Second  regiment  of 
Sharpshooters,  under  direction  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Stough- 
ton.  The  contest  ended  about  eight  o'clock.  Among  our 
losses  was  Brigadier-general  Alexander  Hayes,  commanding 
the  second  brigade  of  Birney's  division.  He  was  shot  in 

tf 

the  head  in  the  first  moments  of  the  engagement.  He  was 
a  graduate  of  West  Point,  took  part  in  the  Mexican  war, 
and  raised  the  Sixty-third  regiment  of  Pennsylvania  volun 
teers,  of  which  he  was  colonel.  He  was  known  throughout 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  as  a  fighting  general,  and  much 
beloved  by  the  men  of  his  command. 

At  five  o'clock,  A.  M.,  of  Friday,  both  armies  moved  to 
the  attack.  The  Second  Corps  was  very  successful,  and  by 
ten  o'clock  had  driven  the  enemy  over  a  mile,  when  fur 
ther  advance,  without  assistance,  was  found  to  be  imprac 
ticable.  Reinforcements  soon  arrived  from  the  Ninth  Corps, 
and  the  battle  raged  with  terrible  fierceness  until  noon,  nei 
ther  side  giving  or  winning  ground.  About  twelve  o'clock, 
while  General  Birney  was  talking  with  General  Wadsworth, 
the  firing  on  our  left  suddenly  increased,  and  almost  at  the 
instant  an  officer  rode  up  and  reported  a  force  advancing  on 
that  flank.  Ere  the  report  was  delivered,  it  was  but  too 
apparent  what  had  been  the  result  of  this  new  movement 


216  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

by  the  enemy.  The  first  few  fugitives  flying  through  the 
woods  were  but  the  swiftest  footed,  and  in  five  minutes  the 
whole  line  was  rolling  back,  regiment  by  regiment,  as  the 
solid  columns  of  Longstreet  moved  along  their  front.  Gen 
eral  Wadsworth  mounted  his  horse  at  the  first  alarm  and 
rode  rapidly  towards  his  division,  which  was  some  distance 
to  the  right,  but  had  no  sooner  reached  it  than  he  fell  mor 
tally  wounded. 

To  stay  the  tide  of  retreat  was  found  to  be  a  simple  im 
possibility — not  because  the  men  were  panic-stricken,  but  be 
cause  of  the  thick  woods;  and  the  men  poured  back  to  the 
Brock  road,  where  of  their  own  accord  they  formed  behind 
the  works  which  they  had  hastily  thrown  up  the  night  be 
fore.  The  'weight  of  this  attack  of  Longs treet's  corps  fell 
on  Birney's  division.  From  this  time  until  a  few  minutes 
after  four  o'clock  there  was  a  lull  in  the  storm  which  had 
been  raging  along  the  left  of  the  line  since  early  daylight. 
At  twenty  minutes  past  four,  Longstrcet's  entire  corps  was 
thrown  upon  the  Second  Corps  front,  the  third  and  fourth 
divisions  again  sustaining  the  heaviest  of  the  attack,  which 
was  stubborn  in  the  extreme,  and  lasted  for  from  twenty-five 
to  thirty  minutes.  At  a  point  where  the  left  of  Birney's 
division  joined  the  right  of  Mott's,  the  breastworks,  which 
were  built  of  very  dry  logs,  had,  by  the  carelessness  of  the 
men,  been  permitted  to  catch  fire,  so  that  when  the  attack 
was  made  they  were  of  no  advantage  to  us ;  and  at  this 
point  the  enemy  rushed  in,  causing  great  confusion  and  a 
falling  back  of  that  portion  of  the  line,  which,  for  a  few 
moments,  threatened  extreme  disaster.  Fortunately  Captain 
Dow's  Sixth  Maine  battery  was  posted  near,  and,  although 


GRANT'S  MARCH  TOWARDS  RICHMOND.  217 

so  many  of  his  men  were  wounded  as  to  disable  his  pieces, 
he  found  recruits  in  the  persons  of  officers  and  others  who 
would  not  be  driven  back,  and  materially  aided  in  repelling 
the  enemy,  as  their  dead  in  his  front  testified.  General 
Longstreet  was  wounded  in  this  attack.  Lieutenant  Calcf, 
an  aide  of  General  Birncy's,  was  taken  prisoner  during  this 
day's  fighting.  The  brigades  of  Generals  Grant,  Robinson, 
Stevenson,  and  Owen,  and  the  division  of  General  Mott, 
were  all  under  the  command  of  General  Birney  during  the 
fighting  of  this  day,  and  until  the  7th,  when  the  corps 
moved  from  its  position.  The  fighting  of  Saturday  and 
Sunday  was  nothing  more  serious  than  skirmishing,  and 
"feeling"  the  enemy  to  ascertain  his  intentions,  which 
were  found  to  be  fixed  upon  retreat. 

On  the  morning  of  the  7th  the  corps  moved  back  to  Todd's 
tavern,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  9th  two  divisions  crossed 
the  Po  liver,  with  but  little  opposition,  at  the  point  desig 
nated  for  Birney's  advance.  On  the  10th  another  terrific 
battle  was  fought,  and  the  two  divisions  which  had  crossed 
the  river  Po  the  night  before  were  compelled  to  return,  at 
a  point  lower  down,  and  where  the  movement  was  difficult. 
Birney  was  the  first  to  rccross,  and  Barlow,  of  the  first  di 
vision,  followed.  The  enemy  followed  closely,  but  the  move 
ment  was  effected  in  splendid  order,  with  the  loss  of  only 
one  gun,  although  the  artillery  fire  was  very  severe.  Two 
regiments  of  Birney's  division,  which  had  advanced  across 
Glady  run,  were  completely  surrounded,  and  fought  their 
way  back  with  considerable  loss. 

During  the  progress  of  these  battles  the  public  received 
information  of  very  few  details.  Part  of  the  time  telc- 

28 


218  DAVID     BELL     BIRNEY. 

graphic  communication  between  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
and  Washington  was  interrupted.  It  was  not  until  May 
9  th  that  any  thing  was  heard  from  General  Grant.  On  May 
llth  was  the  first  definite  information,  when  he  telegraphed 
to  Washington:  "We  have  now  entered  the  sixth  day  of 
very  heavy  fighting.  The  result  to  this  time  is  much  in 
our  favor.  We  have  taken  over  five  thousand  prisoners  in 
battle.  I  propose  to  fight  it  out  on  this  line,  if  it  takes  all 
summer." 

On  Wednesday,  the  llth  of  May,  the  fighting  was  mainly 
done  by  the  artillery.  During  the  day  General  Lee  sent  in 
a  flag  of  truce,  proposing  a  cessation  of  hostilities  for  forty- 
eight  hours,  for  the  purpose  of  burying  his  dead.  General 
Grant  replied  that  he  had  not  time  to  bury  his  owrn  dead, 
because  he  "  PROPOSED  "  to  advance  immediately.  About 
midnight  the  Second  Corps  moved  near  to  Spottsylvania 
Court  House,  to  displace  the  enemy's  batteries,  which  had 
annoyed  our  army  during  the  day.  At  dawn  on  Thursday  ? 
sheltered  by  the  dark  and  a  thick  fog,  the  corps  advanced 
quietly  and  cautiously  towards  the  enemy's  works,  Barlow's 
first  division  and  Birncy's  third  division  forming  the  first 
line.  "As  they  surmounted  gradually  the  rugged  and  woody 
space  which  intervened,  the  excitement  increased,  till  it 
broke  out  in  a  splendid  rush  at  the  rebel  intrenchments, 
which  they  leaped  with  loud  cheers,  dashing  into  the  aston 
ished  enemy,  and  compelling  their  surrender  in  mass.  It 
was  a  gallant  charge  with  the  bayonet,  hardly  a  gun  being 
fired.  It  was  a  clear  surprise,  and  might  have  been  more 
fruitful,  but  for  the  cheering  of  some  of  our  men,  who  could 
suppress  their  enthusiasm  no  longer.  As  it  was,  an  entire 


GRANT'S  MARCH  TOWARDS  RICHMOND.  219 

division  was  surrounded  and  captured,  officers  and  men, — 
three  thousand  prisoners  and  two  generals,  Major-general 
Edward  Johnson  and  Brigadier-general  G.  H.  Stuart.  From 
the  position  of  the  lines,  the  point  penetrated  seems  to  have 
been  Swell's  right  and  A.  P.  Hill's  left,  as  the  captured 
division  was  a  part  of  E well's  (Stonewall  Jackson's)  corps. 
This  position  was  strong  and  one  most  important  to  hold, 
the  Second  Corps  being  now  a  wedge  between  the  enemy's 
centre  and  right,  and  helping  to  press  apart  that  dangerous 
structure  of  works  wherein  the  enemy  lay  ensconced.  So 
complete  was  the  surprise,  that  the  hostile  officers  were 
started  from  breakfast  by  the  rude  intrusion  of  their  unwel 
come  guests,  who,  sans  ceremonie,  came  to  share  their  meal, 
like  the  Commandatore  at  the  table  of  Don  Giovanni.  So 
rapid  was  the  conquest,  that  in  an  hour  after  the  charge 
General  Hancock  sent  the  following  dispatch  to  headquar 
ters:  'I  have  captured  from  thirty  to  forty  guns.  I  have 
finished  up  Johnson  and  am  now  going  into  Early.' 

"The  enemy  was  quickly  aroused  to  the  importance  of 
the  position  he  had  lost,  and  about  nine  o'clock  began  to 
charge  again  and  again,  with  desperate  fury,  in  attempts  to 
repossess  the  works.  Very  bloody  fighting  occurred  with 
out  intermission  for  three  hours.  The  rebel  columns  dashed 
with  unflinching  determination  against  our  lines,  retiring 
each  time  with  their  huge  columns  winnowed  by  cross  and 
enfilading  fires  of  artillery  and  musketry,  now  steadily 
brought  to  bear.  The  artillery  on  neither  side  was  brought 
into  thoroughly  effective  play;  but,  although  not  an  artillery 
battle,  it  reminded  its  participants,  more  nearly  than  any  of 
the  preceding,  of  Gettysburg  and  Malvern  Hill.  Towards 


220  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

noon  the  enemy,  surfeited  with  slaughter,  abandoned  for  a 
time  his  efforts  to  retake  the  prize  which  our  men  had 
won  so  fairly  and  held  so  tenaciously;  but  he  successfully 
disputed  any  farther  advance,  and  the  captured  cannon  lay 
covered  by  the  guns  of  the  sharpshooters,  neither  party 
being  able  to  carry  them  away." 

This  engagement  is  represented  by  those  who  were  present 
as,  in  many  respects,  the  most  trying  of  any  fight  between 
the  Rapidan  and  the  James.  From  the  time  the  enemy's 
works  were  taken,  until  daylight  the  next  morning,  the  firing 
on  the  front  of  General  Birney's  division  was  incessant.  His 
right  flank  was  very  much  exposed,  which  was  well  known 
to  the  enemy,  who  made  his  most  desperate  attacks  at 
that  point.  Over  this  part  of  the  works  there  were  hand- 
to-hand  struggles,  and  the  dead  and  wounded  rebels  lay  lite 
rally  piled  one  upon  another  inside  their  own  works.  For 
the  entire  twenty-four  hours  the  enemy  kept  up  his  fire  on 
this  point,  and  regiment  relieved  regiment,  in  regular  suc 
cession,  all  day  and  all  night,  as  fast  as  their  ammunition 
was  expended. 

The  fruits  of  this  assault  to  Birney's  division  were  eleven 
battle-flags,  and,  although  the  first  and  third  divisions  to 
gether  captured  the  works  and  the  guns,  no  number  has,  so 
far  as  is  known,  been  credited  to  them  separately.  Each 
division  hauled  off  the  next  day  those  which  lay  in  their 
front,  the  whole  number  being  eighteen  or  twenty. 

During  the  assault  General  Birncy  received  a  severe  con 
tusion  from  a  piece  of  shell,  which  was  his  only  injury 
during  this  campaign.  Captain  Briscoe,  his  aide,  was  the 
first  mounted  .man  in  the  works,  and  captured  a  battle-flag 


GRANT'S  MARCH  TOWARDS  RICHMOND.  221 

with   his    own  hands.      He   was    severely   wounded    in    the 
leg. 

The  fighting  continued  during  Friday  and  Saturday.  Sun 
day,  May  loth,  the  twelfth  day  of  breaking  camp  at  Cul- 
pcpper,  was  the  first  day  of  rest  the  army  enjoyed.  But 
this  rest  was  not  allowed  to  all  the  army,  for  on  Sunday 
afternoon  Birncy's  division  fell  hack  from  its  position  on 
the  right  of  the  line,  and  in  so  doing  brought  on  an  at 
tack  ;  which  demonstrated  that  the  enemy  desired  to  occupy 
the  ground  from  which  we  had  proposed  to  withdraw, 
when  the  division  returned  and  rcoccupied  it,  after  a  sharp 
engagement.  During  Monday  and  Tuesday  skirmishing 
and  picket  firing  were  kept  up  day  and  night,  and  on 
Wednesday,  the  18th,  there  was  an  attack  by  the  first  and 
second  divisions  of  the  Second  Corps,  which  produced  no 
result,  in  which  Birney's  division  took  no  active  part.  That 
night  a  brigade  of  the  enemy,  in  rcconnoitcring  our  posi 
tion,  attacked  General  Birney's  right  and  rear,  but  was 
quickly  repulsed,  with  the  loss  of  a  number  of  prisoners. 
At  one  o'clock,  A.  M.,  of  the  19th,  the  corps  was  again  in 
motion,  "by  the  left  flank,"  and  halted  on  the  "Anderson 
plantation,"  near  the  plank  road  leading  to  Fredericksburg, 
by  which  our  supplies  were  then  received. 

On  Friday,  May  20th,  the  Secretary  of  War  telegraphed 
to  General  Dix  portions  of  a  telegram  from  General  Grant : 
"Last  evening  an  effort  was  made  by  Swell's  corps  to  turn 
our  right.  They  were  promptly  repulsed  by  Birney's  and 
Tyler's  divisions  and  some  of  Warren's  troops  that  were  on 
the  extreme  right."  General  Birncy  was  in  command  of  all 
the  troops  engaged  on  Thursday,  on  our  extreme  right, 


222  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

including  Tyler's  division  and  the  detachment  from  General 
Warren's  corps. 

On  Friday  night  was  commenced  another  of  General 
Grant's  celebrated  flank  movements.  He  determined  to 
make  an  effort  to  reach  the  banks  of  the  North  and  South 
Anna,  which  laid  between  Lee  and  Richmond,  before  Lee 
could  get  there;  and  the  race  began.  About  midnight 
General  Torbert's  division  of  cavalry  led  the  advance.  It 
was  followed  immediately  by  Hancock's  corps,  which  quietly 
and  cautiously  began  to  steal  out  from  the  old  battle-ground 
towards  Guineas'  station.  No  sooner  had  the  corps  moved 
than  the  beating  of  drums  in  the  enemy's  camp  showed 
that  he  was  on  the  alert,  and  would  contend  for  the  right 
of  way  to  Richmond. 

The  Second  Corps  continued  its  march,  skirmishing  and 
fighting  as  it  moved  along,  until  two,  P.  M.,  of  Monday, 
when  it  arrived  at  Taylor's  (or  Chesterfield)  bridge,  over  the 
North  Anna.  The  day  was  occupied  in  skirmishing,  recon- 
noitering,  and  the  work  incident  to  placing  troops  in  posi 
tion,  until  six  o'clock,  when  the  preparations  for  assault 
were  completed.  "  The  bridge  was  commanded  at  its  en 
trance  by  a  well-built  redan,  whose  extremities  were  covered 
by  the  river  and  its  flanks  swept  by  artillery  in  works  on 
the  opposite  bank  of  the  river,  as  well  as  by  infantry  in 
rifle-pits."  The  attacking  party  was  composed  of  the  two 
brigades  of  Birney's  division,  commanded  at  that  time  by 
Colonels  (now  generals)  Pierce  and  Egan,  and  one  regiment 
of  the  Excelsior  brigade.  The  dash  made  by  them  over 
the  open  plain,  fully  half  a  mile  in  width,  under  front  and 
flank  fires,  was  most  gallantly  performed,  and,  as  they  con- 


GRANT'S  MARCH  TOWARDS  RICHMOND.  223 

ccntrated  around  the  redan,  which  was  the  key-point  of  the 
position,  those  who  were  mere  spectators  of  the  affair  minded 
not  the  shot  and  shell  which  flew  in  every  direction,  thought 
not  of  seeking  cover  therefrom,  but  waited  and  watched 
with  breathless  interest,  until  our  colors  were  seen  on  the 
parapet,  when  they  sent  up  such  cheers  as  only  men  can 
utter  in  the  moment  of  victory.  The  bridge  was  saved. 
The  rebels  held  the  south  end  during  the  night,  and  our 
pickets  held  the  north  end,  and  foiled  all  their  attempts  to 
destroy  it. 

After  this  severe  righting,  the  march  and  countermarch 
continued  until  Monday,  May  30th,  when  our  army  was 
across  the  Pamunkcy.  During  Monday  a  severe  fight  ex 
tended  along  our  entire  line.  Along  the  left  centre,  occu 
pied  by  General  Warren,  about  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
the  enemy  made  an  attack,  during  which  he  gained  an 
advantage,  and  there  was  danger  of  General  Warren's  flank 
being  turned.  General  Hancock  received  before  dark  the 
order  to  relieve  him  by  a  counter  attack,  and  immediately 
dashed  on  the  enemy's  line,  capturing  his  rifle-pits,  which 
he  held  all  night.  This  rapid  and  brilliant  movement  ena 
bled  General  W^arren  to  maintain  his  position,  which  was 
then  about  seven  miles  from  Richmond.  About  midnight 
the  enemy  attempted  to  dislodge  General  Hancock  from  his 
position,  but  the  movement  was  unsuccessful,  and  the  enemy 
retired,  leaving  a  large  number  of  prisoners  in  our  hands. 

Early  on  Tuesday  morning  another  movement  began. 
The  Second  Corps  moved  from  its  position  and  Birney's 
division  on  the  right,  rushed  upon  and  carried  the  breast 
works  on  the  south  side  of  Tolopotomy  creek,  after  a  short 


224  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

but  fierce  conflict,  with  a  loss  of  about  thirty  men.  During 
this  attack  about  thirty  prisoners  were  captured  who  repre 
sented  themselves  to  be  from  the  command  of  the  rebel 
General  Breckinridgc.  The  captured  works  were  aban 
doned  during  the  night,  and  on  Wednesday,  June  1st, 
Birney's  division  was  marching  towards  Cold  Harbor,  where 
it  occupied  the  left  of  the  line.  During  Wednesday  night 
the  Second  Corps  performed  the  movement  which  had  be 
come  so  familiar  to  it  during  the  preceding  thirty  days, 
and  marched  from  right  to  left,  Birney's  division  leaving  the 
extreme  right  of  the  army  and  going  to  its  extreme  left. 

At  half-past  four  o'clock  on  Friday  morning,  June  3d, 
another  severe  engagement  occurred  along  our  entire  line. 
During  this  day  Birney's  division  was  not  engaged.  It 
was,  for  the  first  time  during  the  campaign,  indulged  in 
the  luxury  of  being  placed  in  reserve,  but  even  this  did 
not  afford  much  rest,  for  during  the  day  it  was  exposed 
to  a  heavy  fire  of  artillery,  which  the  enemy  kept  up  in 
front  of  Hancock.  In  the  afternoon  the  division  moved 
again  towards  the  right  of  the  army  and  went  into  position 
between  the  Fifth  and  Eighteenth  Corps.  Here  it  re 
mained  until  the  afternoon  of  the  4th,  when  it  returned 
to  its  former  position  on  the  left,  as  support  to  the  first 
and  second  divisions  of  the  Second  Corps.  On  the  5th 
the  line  was  extended  still  farther  to  the  left,  and  Birney's 
division  rested  at  Parker's  Mill.  This  movement  occupied 
until  three  o'clock,  A.  M.,  of  the  6th,  and  here  the  division 
rested  until  the  12th. 

From  this  point  General  Grant  made  another  change  of 
base.  Abandoning  the  ground  for  which  he  had  fought  for 


GRANT'S  MARCH  TOWARDS  RICHMOND.  225 

more  than  forty  days,  abandoning  his  line  of  communica 
tions  with  Washington,  and  abandoning  his  base  of  sup 
plies,  he  determined  to  seek  new  territory,  to  form  new 
communications,  and  establish  a  new  base.  All  this  was 
done  successfully,  and  the  army  was  moved  from  the  Chick- 
ahominy  to  the  James  river.  On  Sunday  night  Hancock's 
corps  moved  by  Long  bridge  across  the  Chickahominy, 
and  thence  along  the  road  to  Wilcox's  wharf  on  the 
James,  where  it  arrived  before  dark  on  Monday  the  12th. 
The  next  morning  the  whole  army  was  transferred  to  the 
south  bank  of  the  James,  without  the  loss  of  a  wagon  or  a 
piece  of  artillery.  Still  Grant  pushed  ahead.  He  had  been 
compelled  to  abandon  his  original  intention  of  moving  to 
the  west  of  Richmond,  but  ever  fertile  in  resources  he 
came  to  the  east,  and  during  the  middle  of  June  occupied 
the  very  ground  which  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  occu 
pied  two  years  before.  But,  in  1864,  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  had  learned  to  fight  its  battles  "  througJi"  and  its 
position  on  the  south  bank  of  the  James  was  part  of  a  plan 
which  the  genius  of  its  commander  had  determined  upon, 
and  even  this  plan  was  only  a  fractional  part  of  the  grand 
combinations  which,  carried  out  by  Sherman,  Thomas,  Sheri 
dan,  and  the  different  corps  commanders,  resulted,  during 
the  spring  of  1865,  in  the  fall  of  Richmond,  the  surrender 
of  the  rebel  armies,  and  the  end  of  the  rebellion. 

From  May  4th,  when  the  army  moved  from  Culpcppcr, 
until  Juno  14th,  when  the  army  reached  the  south  bank  of 
the  James  river,  a  period  of  forty-one  days,  it  had  been  in 
cessantly  in  motion,  and  most  of  the  time  had  been  under 
fire.  The  intervals  of  rest,  day  or  night,  had  been  "few 

29 


226  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

and  far  between."  Beside  the  fatigues  of  this  march  and 
the  losses  during  the  almost  uninterrupted  fighting,  the 
previous  movements  of  the  army  were  almost  forgotten,  and 
yet  less  has  been  written  about  this  campaign  than  about 
any  other.  The  movements  were  too  rapid,  the  losses  too 
severe,  and  the  sufferings  too  intense,  to  enable  any  news 
paper  correspondent  to  follow  them  or  portray  them  in 
fitting  words.  Before  the  public  could  be  informed  of  the 
details  of  any  movement,  the  attention  of  the  country  was 
engrossed  by  some  new  and  grander  movement,  so  that  it 
was  impossible  for  any  one  to  trace  the  exact  route  of  the 
army  during  this  march,  or  to  obtain  at  the  time  a  critical 
view  of  the  rapid  movements  and  masterly  combinations 
which  were  executed.  The  march  of  June,  1863,  followed 
by  the  battle  of  Gettysburg;  the  march  of  August  and  Sep 
tember,  1862,  followed  by  the  battle  of  Antietam,  with  the 
intermediate  campaign,  memorable  for  the  defeats  at  Fred- 
ericksburg  and  Chanccllorsville ;  the  disheartening  results 
of  Pope's  campaign,  and  the  slow  march  up  the  Peninsula 
during  the  spring  and  golden  summer  of  1862,  which  was 
prolonged  until  the  malaria  of  the  Chickahominy  swamps 
killed  as  many  men  as  rebel  bullets,  and  which  resulted 
only  in  a  "change  of  base"  to  Harrison's  Landing,  and 
produced  a  nervous  anxiety  in  the  army  and  throughout  the 
country  for  the  safety  of  the  brave  and  noble  men  who 
marched  and  suffered:  have  all  been  mentioned  in  the  fore 
going  pages,  but  these  all  sink  into  insignificance  when 
compared  with  the  marching  and  fighting  during  the  forty- 
one  days  from  Culpepper  to  the  south  bank  of  the  James. 
They  were  as  the  explosion  of  packs  of  fire-crackers  to  the 


GRANT'S  MARCH  TOWARDS  RICHMOND.  227 

continued  and  severe  thunder  storm  which  burst  upon  the 
rebellion  when  Grant  began  his  march.  The  heavy  train, 
propelled  for  the  first  time  by  the  power  of  steam,  moved 
along  with  unprecedented  rapidity,  and,  overcoming  all  im 
pediments  in  its  way,  did  not  stop  until  the  skilful  engineer 
had  reached  the  end  of  the  route. 

Established  upon  the  south  bank  of  the  James,  the  army 
had  a  resting  spell  long  enough  to  make  change  of  clothing, 
unsaddle  horses,  and  recruit  exhausted  strength.  But  the 
rest  was  not  of  long  duration :  it  was  doomed,  like  Salathicl, 
to  "march,  march,  march,"  until  its  mission  was  accom 
plished. 

On  Wednesday,  the  15th  of  June,  the  army  was  again 
in  motion,  and  about  ten  o'clock  of  that  day  the  Second 
Corps  began  to  move  southward  toward  Petersburg.  Dur 
ing  Wednesday  night  they  reached  their  next  fighting  point. 
Before  they  came  up  the  Eighteenth  Corps,  under  "Baldy" 
Smith,  had  captured  the  outer  works  of  the  enemy  near 
Petersburg,  which  had  been  constructed  for  the  defence  of 
that  city.  "During  the  night  Birncy's  division  held  por 
tions  of  the  captured  earthworks,  which  the  enemy,  realizing 
their  importance,  in  vain  attempted  to  wrest  away." 

The  fighting  on  Wednesday  proved,  however,  to  be  only 
preparatory  to  the  battles  of  Thursday,  Friday  and  Satur 
day.  General  Lee  having  at  last  understood  the  intentions 
of  General  Grant,  determined  to  make  the  intrenchments 
of  Petersburg  the  commencement  of  the  "last  ditch,"  in 
which  the  remains  of  the  rebellion  were  to  be  buried.  Un 
accustomed  to  such  strange  strategy,  for  which  no  precedent 
could  be  found  in  the  books,  Lcc  had  scattered  his  troops, 


228  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

holding  them  well  in  hand,  so  as  to  be  able  to  concentrate 
them  rapidly,  on  any  given  point.  When  the  movement 
upon  Petersburg  was  developed,  the  rebel  forces  were  rapidly 
hurried  to  the  defence  of  its  garrison.  Our  tired  troops, 
however,  could  not  be  marched  up  in  time  to  pursue  the 
advantage  which  General  Smith  had  so  gallantly  gained  on 
Wednesday  afternoon.  As  has  been  said,  Birney's  division 
arrived  first  and  took  possession  of  a  portion  of  the  cap 
tured  intrenchments. 

About  midnight,  while  Birney,  still  mounted  and  sur 
rounded  by  his  staff,  was  making  disposition  of  his  com 
mand,  a  wagon  approached  from  the  direction  of  the  ene 
my's  line.  Upon  being  halted  the  driver  reported  that  the 
wagon  contained  ammunition  for  "  battery  number  five." 
"All  right,"  said  Birney,  "we  will  take  care  of  it."  The 
next  day,  the  ammunition  intended  for  "battery  number 
five"  was  sent  back  to  Petersburg,  without  the  wagon  and 
horses,  by  the  artillery  of  Birney's  division.  This  little 
episode  occurred  before  Birney  had  time  to  establish  his 
picket  line,  and  shows  that  General  Smith's  success  during 
the  afternoon  had  completely  demoralized  the  enemy  in  his 
front. 

Early  on  Thursday  morning  General  Birney  sent  Colonel 
Egan's  brigade  to  a  redoubt  on  the  left,  which,  after  a 
handsome  dash,  was  carried  and  held.  Meanwhile  the 
enemy  was  sending  down  troops  from  Richmond  so  rapidly, 
that  it  became  necessary  to  await  the  arrival  of  the  Ninth 
Corps,  under  General  Burnsidc.  The  cavalry  moved  out  to 
the  left  across  the  Petersburg  and  Norfolk  Railroad,  and 
occupied  the  ground  for  the  Ninth  Corps.  Early  in  the 


GRANT'S  MARCH  TOWARDS  RICHMOND.  229 

afternoon  the  Ninth  Corps  arrived,  after  a  forced  march  from 
Charles'  City  Court  House.  The  line  of  battle  was  imme 
diately  formed,  with  the  Eighteenth  Corps  on  the  right,  the 
Second  in  the  centre,  and  the  Ninth  on  the  left.  Birncy's 
division  occupied  the  right  of  the  centre  corps.  An  assault 
had  been  ordered  at  six  o'clock.  The  attack  was  promptly 
made  and  kept  up  vigorously  for  three  hours.  Birncy's 
division  carried  the  crest  in  his  front  and  held  it  firmly. 
General  Barlow,  on  Birncy's  left,  found  the  advance  more 
difficult,  owing  to  the  concentration  of  the  enemy  in  his 
front.  His  men.  however,  moved  forward  under  a  destruc 
tive  fire,  but  the  enemy  cut  off  his  skirmish  line,  capturing 
three  hundred  men  with  their  officers.  After  a  hard  fight 
of  more  than  three  hours'  duration,  the  assault  was  sus 
pended  until  morning.  During  this  assault  Birney  lost 
about  five  hundred  men. 

On  Friday,  June  17th,  General  Hancock  was  unable  to 
maintain  the  field  longer.  His  old  wound,  received  at  Get 
tysburg,  from  which  he  had  suffered  during  the  campaign, 
compelled  him  to  retire.  The  command  of  the  corps  thus 
devolved  upon  General  Birney,  which  he  retained  until  the 
26th  of  June,  when  General  Hancock  resumed  command. 
During  this  time  the  command  of  the  division  devolved 
upon  General  Mott. 

Preparations  were  made  for  a  daylight  attack,  and  at 
four,  A.  M.,  on  Friday,  General  Burnside  ordered  Potter's 
division  to  take  the  works  in  their  front.  General  Potter 
threw  forward  General  Griffin's  brigade,  supported  by  Gen 
eral  Curtin's,  and  after  a  gallant  dash,  the  position  was 
carried  as  by  a  whirlwind;  and  six  guns,  sixteen  officers, 


230  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

four  hundred  men  and  a  stand  of  colors  were  captured 
from  the  enemy.  After  this  success  a  pause  occurred  in 
the  assault.  By  subsequent  movements  General  Burnside, 
during  the  afternoon,  succeeded  in  getting  within  a  mile 
and  a  half  of  the  city,  into  which  he  threw  a  few  shells. 
The  enemy  repeatedly  attempted  to  regain  the  lost  in- 
trenchments,  but  was  as  often  repulsed. 

The  movements  during  this  day  were  chiefly  confined  to 
the  Ninth  Corps  on  the  left.  The  position  of  the  enemy 
in  front  of  Birney  was  so  strong  that  he  was  ordered  to 
withhold  an  attack.  About  nine  o'clock,  however,  on  Friday 
evening  the  enemy  rushed  down  upon  the  centre,  occupied 
by  the  Second  Corps,  but  was  driven  back  with  severe  loss. 

During  Friday  night  it  was  determined  to  make  another 
assault  on  Saturday  morning  at  four  o'clock.  Upon  the 
advance  of  our  skirmishers,  preparatory  to  the  assault,  it 
was  found  that  the  enemy  had  abandoned  the  works  in 
our  immediate  front  for  an  inner  line  of  defence.  A  paper 
was  found  by  some  of  our  skirmishers  and  given  to  Lieu 
tenant  Shreve,  of  General  Birney's  staff,  which  proved  to  be 
an  order  from  the  general  in  command  of  the  enemy's  line, 
making  details  to  construct  a  new  line  of  defence.  To  this 
line  the  enemy  retired,  and  retained  possession  of  it  until 
the  capture  of  Petersburg,  in  the  spring  of  1865.  At  noon 
an  assault  was  attempted,  under  General  Gibbon,  but  with 
out  success.  In  the  afternoon  a  second  storming  party  was 
organized  from  Birney's  division,  then  under  command  of 
General  Mott.  "A  little  before  five  o'clock  General  Mott 
moved  out  his  force  in  two  columns,  and  in  gallant  style 
the  two  leading  brigades  burst  upon  the  enemy.  They 


GRANT'S  MARCH  TOWARDS  RICHMOND.  231 

were  received  with  a  withering  fire  from  concentrated  bat 
teries  and  musketry,  and  in  spite  of  the  most  desperate 
bravery  were  forced  back  with  terrible  loss.  The  charge 
was  worthy  of  the  proverbial  gallantry  of  the  corps,  but^  it 
foiled  of  success  as  the  previous  charge  had  also  failed." 

Sunday,  the  19th  of  June,  was  comparatively  a  quiet  day. 
There  was  skirmishing  and  cannonading,  but  no  decisive 
movements.  Birney  threw  a  few  shells  into  Petersburg  in 
pursuance  of  his  favorite  amusement,  to  try  to  "  wind  up  the 
town  clock,"  but  with  few  perceptible  results.  It  was  evi 
dent  the  enemy  was  strong  and  secure,  and  the  work  of 
the  week  had  been  unsatisfactory. 

On  Monday,  June  20th,  new  movements  were  under 
taken.  Early  in  the  morning  all  was  bustle.  The  enemy, 
having  recovered  from  apprehension  of  the  immediate  loss 
of  Petersburg,  began  to  operate  against  the  weaker  part  of 
our  lines.  His  efforts  were  counteracted  by  counter-move 
ments  by  our  army.  The  Second  Corps,  under  Birney, 
began  to  move  on  Monday  night,  and  on  Tuesday  morning 
crossed  the  Petersburg  and  Norfolk  Railroad  and  marched 
in  a  southerly  direction  as  rapidly  as  possible,  under  an 
intense  sun,  and  in  a  stifling,  blinding  dust.  The  corps 
pushed  on  with  the  same  intrepidity  which  had  charac 
terized  its  previous  movements,  by  the  flank,  in  the  face 
of  the  enemy.  During  this  day  the  movements  of  the 
remainder  of  the  army  were  without  results.  On  Wed 
nesday  the  enemy  drove  back  our  advancing  columns,  and 
during  the  day  we  lost  heavily,  principally  in  prisoners. 
On  Thursday,  the  23d,  our  men  cut  the  telegraph  on  the 
Danville  llailroad,  but  were  driven  back  in  their  efforts  to 


232  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

capture  the  road.  In  Birney's  immediate  front  little  of  im 
portance  occurred  on  Thursday.  During  Friday,  Saturday 
and  Sunday,  the  24th,  25th  and  26th  of  June,  nothing  was 
•  accomplished.  The  whole  army  suffered  greatly  from  the 
heat,  the  dust  was  suffocating,  and  owing  to  continued 
drought  water  was  difficult  to  obtain.  On  Monday,  June 
27th,  in  pursuance  of  agreement  even  picket  firing  ceased, 
and  thus  one  of  the  quietest  days  of  the  campaign  was 
enjoyed.  As  often  happened  during  the  rebellion,  on  the 
cessation  of  picket  firing,  the  men  of  the  two  armies 
evinced  a  disposition  to  fraternize  more  than  the  good  of 
the  service  permitted.  This  elicited  from  General  Birney 
an  order  prohibiting  any  intermingling,  or  communication 
between  the  opposing  lines.  The  men,  therefore,  lay  quiet 
all  day.  Towards  evening  a  refreshing  shower  of  rain 
cooled  the  parched  air  and  laid  the  suffocating  dust. 
During  the  evening  General  Hancock  resumed  command 
of  the  corps  and  General  Bimey  returned  to  his  division. 

From  this  period  until  July  23d,  when  General  Birney 
was  ordered  to  the  command  of  the  Tenth  Army  Corps,  the 
division  remained  quiet,  changing  position  but  once,  when, 
on  July  12th,  they  moved,  after  destroying  the  works  they 
had  erected,  to  the  rear  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  where  they  went 
into  reserve.  During  this  time  the  enemy  attempted  to 
transfer  the  scene  of  operations  from  around  Petersburg  and 
Richmond  to  near  Washington ;  but  this  experiment  did  not 
tempt  Grant  to  relinquish  his  hold.  While  laying  in  the 
intrenchments  near  Petersburg,  General  Birney  contemplated 
a  short  visit  home.  The  fatigues  of  the  campaign  had  told 
upon  a  constitution  naturally  weak,  and  impaired  by  the 


GRANT'S  MARCH  TOWARDS  RICHMOND.  233 

campaigns  of  1862  and  1863.  So  long  as  the  army  was  on 
the  march,  or  under  fire,  excitement  kept  him  up;  but  when 
these  stimulants  ceased,  it  was  evident  that  he  had  over 
tasked  his  energies.  He  felt  himself  that  he  needed  rest. 
On  July  21st  he  wrote:  "I  am  making  every  exertion  to 
come  home  and  recruit  for  a  week.  You  will  see  me  in  a 
few  days,  when  I  hope  that  business  will  permit  you  to  join 
me  in  a  trip  to  some  quiet  place,  where  I  can  lay  aside 
shoulder-straps  and  enjoy  a  few  evenings  of  quiet  talk.  I 
am  greatly  bored  by  the  want  of  something  to  do  here. 
Nothing  relieves  the  monotony  of  the  day  but  the  occa 
sional  report  of  a  heavy  gun,  which  for  a  few  moments 
starts  us  from  our  lethargy,  but  we  soon  relapse  into  as  per* 
feet  quiet  as  if  we  were  in  some  grove  near  Philadelphia." 


80 


THE    TENTH   AKMY   COEPS. 


[HE  plans  of  Birney,  however,  were  entirely 
broken  up  by  the  receipt  of  an  order  from 
General  Grant,  assigning  him  to  the  pcr- 
manent  command  of  the  Tenth  Army 
Corps,  which  had  been  for  a  long  time 
under  the  command  of  Major-general  Q. 
A.  Gilmore.  This  corps  had  taken  an  active  part  in  the 
siege  of  Charleston,  and  was  distinguished  for  its  efficiency. 
In  April  it  had  been  moved  from  Charleston  to  the  Penin 
sula,  and  with  the  Eighteenth  Corps,  under  the  command  of 
Major-general  Smith,  ("Baldy,")  composed  the  Army  of  the 
James.  General  Birney  at  onre  took  leave  of  his  division 
in  the  following  order : — 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION,  SECOND  CORPS, 
July  23,  1865. 

[GENERAL  ORDER,  No.  46.] 

In  obedience  to  Special  Order  No.  64,  from  Headquarters 
Armies  of  the  United  States,  I  relinquish  command  of  this 
division. 

In  parting  with  my  comrades  and  companions  in  arms, 
after  so  long  and  eventful  a  connection,  I  may  be  permitted 
(234) 


\ 


THE    TENTH    ARMY    CORPS.  235 

to  say  that  to  me  it  is  a  very  painful  duty.  I  shall  always 
remember  with  pride  the  regiments  that  I  have  had  the 
honor  to  command,  'and  shall  feel  the  deepest  interest  in 
their  future. 

D.  B.  B1RNEY, 

Major-general. 

Official : 
W.  P.  SHREVE, 

Lieutenant  and  A.  A.  A.  G. 

The  New  York  Herald  correspondent  with  the  Second 
Corps,  thus  speaks  of  General  Birney's  departure : — 

"There  are  few  attachments  stronger  than  those  formed 
between  companions  in  arms  on  the  battle-field,  and  hence, 
though  called  to  assume  greater  responsibilities  and  higher 
honors,  it  is  not  without  lingering  regrets  that  General  Bir- 
ney  bade  farewell  to  the  third  division,  with  which  he  has 
been  so  long  and  so  favorably  identified.  The  division  has 
been  commanded  by  him  since  the  death  of  the  lamented 
Kearny.  Its  history  is  intimately  and  honorably  associated 
with  the  wonderful  campaigns  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  General  Birney  has  shown  himself  worthy  of  the  confi 
dence  which  has  been  reposed  in  him.  Those  who  have 
had  personal  knowledge  of  his  operations  in  the  field  concur 
in  the  opinion  that  he  is  an  invaluable  officer,  and  his  ser 
vices  in  this  campaign  have  greatly  increased  his  reputation. 
He  has  steadily  won  his  way  to  the  enviable  position  he 
now  occupies." 

On  assuming  his  new  command  he  issued  the  foUowing 
order : — 


236  DAVID    BELL     BIRNEY. 

HEADQUARTERS  TENTH  ARMY  CORPS, 
IN  THE  FIELD,  NEAR  HATCHER'S,  July  23,  18G4. 

[GENERAL  ORDER,  No.  17.] 

In  obedience  to  Special  Order  No.  64,  current  series  from 
Headquarters  of  the  United  States,  the  undersigned  assumes 
command  of  the  Tenth  Army  Corps. 

The  following  named  officers  are  announced  as  constituting 
the  personal  staff:  Captain  J.  C.  Briscoe,  Fortieth  New  York 
volunteers,  A.  D.  C. ;  Captain  Clayton  McMichael,  Ninth 
United  States  infantry,  A.  D.  C.;  Captain  Charles  Noble, 
One-hundred-and-nineteenth  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  A.  D.  C.; 
Captain  J.  E.  Sweet,  TAventieth  Indiana  volunteers,  A.  A.  D.  C. 

D.  B.  BIRNEY, 

Major-general. 

Official: 

ED.  W.  SMITH, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general. 

Birney  was  soon  busily  engaged  with  the  details  of  his 
new  command,  which  he  found  to  be  much  scattered;  one 
division,  under  General  Turner,  being  in  the  trenches  before 
Petersburg;  one  brigade  holding  an  intrenched  camp  on  the 
north  bank  of  the  James  river,  at  a  point  known  as  Deep 
Bottom;  and  the  remainder  occupying  the  line  between  the 
James  and  Appomattox  rivers.  Impressed  with  the  neces 
sity  of  increased  vigilance,  and  to  establish  a  uniformity 
which  he  found  to  be  needed  among  the  officers,  he,  on  July 
27th,  issued  a  lengthy  order,  prescribing  the  manner  of  per 
forming  picket  duty,  which  is  published  in  full  in  the  Ap 
pendix.  On  July  30th  he  wrote  as  follows  to  a  friend :  "  I 
am  much  pleased  with  my  new  command.  My  assignment 


THE    TENTH    ARMY    CORPS.  237 

to  it  by  Grant,  in  the  field,  in  preference  to  a  dozen  others 
who  desired  it,  nearly  all  of  whom  outranked  me,  was 
a  compliment  far  greater  than  if  I  had  been  assigned 
to  the  corps  by  the  President  upon  political  or  personal 
grounds." 

Until  Wednesday,  the  10th  of  August,  .the  Tenth  Corps 
remained  in  the  position  we  have  mentioned.  Birney  was 
thus  deprived  of  any  active  participation  in  the  operations 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  On  the  day  the  mine  was 
sprung,  his  services  were  confined  to  making  demonstrations 
upon  the  enemy,  to  keep  up  the  feint  which  had  been  or 
dered  along  his  line,  between  the  two  rivers. 

Between  General  Butler,  commanding  the  Army  of  the 
James  and  the  department  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina, 
and  General  Birney,  the  most  agreeable  personal  relations 
were  soon  established.  General  Butler  soon  appreciated 
General  Birney's  valuable  qualities,  and  gave  him  his  fullest 
confidence.  No  one  regretted  Birney's  loss  more  than  But 
ler,  as  is  proved  by  his  eloquent  and  t  touching  order,  issued 
when  the  intelligence  of  his  death  reached  the  army,  ex 
pressing  heartfelt  sorrow  for  the  loss  of  a  personal  friend 
and  a  valuable  officer. 


THE  FIRST  MOVEMENT  TO  DEEP  BOTTOM. 


|  ROM  the  explosion  of  the  mine,  on  July 
30th,  the  army  remained  quiet,  until 
near  the  middle  of  August,  when  Gen 
eral  Grant  determined  to  invest  Rich 
mond  on  the  east  with  the  Army  of 
the  James.  The  movement  began  on 
the  night  of  Saturday,  August  13th, 
when  Gregg's  cavalry  division  crossed  the  pontoon  bridge 
over  the  James  to  Deep  Bottom.  This  movement  resulted 
in  a  three  days'  fight,  and  the  part  which  Birney  performed 
is  thus  described  in  the  Army  and  Navy  Journal: — 

"During  the  same  night  (the  13th)  the  Second  Corps, 
which  had  been  ostentatiously  moving  down  towards  Fortress 
Monroe  all  day,  in  transports,  was  swiftly  and  secretly  re 
turned  and  disembarked  at  Deep  Bottom.  Early  on  Sunday, 
the  14th,  Foster's  brigade,  of  the  Tenth  Corps,  was  pushed 
forward,  while  the  remainder  of  our  forces  were  gradually 
deployed  into  the  required  line.  The  brigade  moved  out 
upon  Strawberry  Plains,  and  there  found  the  enemy  strongly 
posted  in  intrenchments,  situated  on  commanding  ridges 
covering  the  Kingsland  road,  with  a  line  of  rifle  pits  in 
front.  Considerable  skirmishing  took  place  as  our  advance 
pressed  forward.  The  enemy  gradually  fell  back  to  his  rifle 
pits,  and  at  length  the  Tenth  Connecticut  and  Twenty-fourth 
(238) 


THE    FIRST    MOVEMENT    TO    DEEP    BOTTOM.  239 

Massachusetts  charged  the  pits,  and  took  them  with  hardly 
a  straggle,  capturing  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  prisoners. 

"This  success  achieved,  it  now  became  essential  to  form 
all  the  troops  in  order  of  battle,  and  to  push  forward  as 
rapidly  as  possible;  for  the  enemy  was  hurrying  troops  over 
from  his  right  to  the  region  of  Malvern  Hill.  With  much 
exertion  and  constant  skirmishing  the  manoeuvre  was  made. 
Gregg's  cavalry  swept  out  to  the  right,  clearing  the  roads 
of  the  enemy's "  pickets  and  opening  the  way  for  the  Second 
Corps.  When  all  was  complete,  the  cavalry  covered  the 
right  flank,  next  came  the  Second  Corps,  with  its  left  rest 
ing  upon  the  right  bank  of  Four  Mile  creek,  and  then  the 
Tenth  Corps,  with  its  right  on  the  other  bank  of  the  creek. 
These  dispositions  were  made  after  much  skirmishing,  and 
consumed  most  of  the  day.  General  Grant  was  on  the 
field,  with  Generals  Butler,  Hancock,  and  Birney.  Towards 
evening  an  effort  was  made  to  push  the  whole  line  forward. 
On  the  left  the  Tenth  Corps  moved  briskly  up  and  charging 
the  enemy's  outer  works,  in  a  line  of  woods,  about  a  mile 
from  the  pontoon  bridge,  succeeded  after  a  sharp  engage 
ment,  in  carrying  them,  capturing  a  number  of  prisoners  and 
four  eight-inch  howitzers.  This  brilliant  little  victory  was 
achieved  principally  by  Foster's  brigade." 

"On  Monday,  the  15th,  severe  skirmishing  was  kept  up 
all  day;  but  the  main  effort  was  to  extend  our  line  to  the 
right  and  secure  a  stronger  position.  This  was  effected  by 
throwing  the  Tenth  Corps  across  Four  Mile  creek,  to  the 
right  of  the  Second.  The  cavalry,  meanwhile,  continued  to 
cover  the  right  flank  and  skirmished  with  the  enemy. 

"  On  Tuesday  a  still  more  determined  effort  was  made  to 


240  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

advance.  Gregg's  cavalry  stretched  out  on  the  Charles  City 
road  and  covered  the  right  flank.  Next  came  Colonel 
Craig's  brigade,  of  Mott's  division  of  the  Second  Corps. 
On  their  left  was  the  Tenth  Corps  and,  lastly,  the  remainder 
of  the  Second  Corps.  Early  in  the  morning  Birney  pushed 
out  his  right  towards  the  enemy's  intrenchments.  The 
whole  country  was  very  thickly  wooded,  and  only  a  narrow 
cleared  patch  here  and  there  was  relieved  from  the  dense 
forest  and  undergrowth.  The  difficulties  of  manoeuvring 
were  increased  by  the  intense  heat  of  the  day.  By  noon  it 
had  become  one  of  the  most  sultry  and  oppressive  of  the 
season.  The  earliest  movement  was  made  along  the  Charles 
City  road,  as  far  as  Deep  Bottom  creek  or  Deep  Run,  by 
the  cavalry.  At  this  point  it  was  joined  by  General  Miles's 
brigade,  of  Barlow's  division  of  the  Second  Corps.  The 
column  soon  found  the  enemy  disputing  its  further  progress, 
and  a  sharp  fight  took  place  with  Chambliss's  brigade  of 
Fitzhugh  Lee's  cavalry.  Our  forces  quickly  drove  back 
the  enemy  to  his  works,  and  General  Chambliss  was  killed 
while  rallying  his  men.  The  column  was  then  pushed  for 
ward  on  the  road  to  near  White's  tavern,  a  point  between 
six  and  seven  miles  from  Richmond.  Here  the  enemy  was 
found  intrenched  in  a  strong  position,  which  some  skirmish 
ing  proved  too  strong  to  be  carried.  Having  ascertained 
this  fact,  Miles  withdrew  his  brigade  towards  the  right  of 
the  main  line  under  Birney,  marching  back  on  the  route  by 
which  he  had  advanced  in  the  morning.  This  retrograde 
movement  gave  new  confidence  to  the  enemy,  and,  having 
now  collected  a  considerable  force  at  White's  tavern,  he 


THE    FIRST    MOVEMENT    TO    DEEP    BOTTOM.  2-11 

swept  down  upon  Gregg  during  the  afternoon,  and  drove 
him  back  two  miles,  and  across  Deep  Run. 

"Meanwhile  still  harder  fighting  was  going  on  in  the 
centre.  Our  forces,  as  we  have  seen,  had  promptly  pushed 
into  the  wooded  region  in  their  front,  between  the  Central 
and  Charles  City  roads,  near  Fussell's  mill-pond,  on  which 
our  right  rested.  Terry's  division  of  the  Tenth  Corps  was 
the  first  to  attack,  with  Foster's  brigade  in  advance,  Pond's 
and  Hawley's  brigades  in  support,  and  Craig's  brigade,  of 
the  Second  Corps,  on  the  right.  The  country  was  very 
much  broken,  and  the  men-  had  a  hot  march  through  ravine 
and  jungle.  At  length  the  enemy's  picket  line  was  driven 
into  his  works  and  a  brisk  artillery  fire  was  opened,  under 
cover  of  which  Birney  advanced  and  captured  some  slight 
works,  with  forty  or  fifty  prisoners.  The  troops  were  then 
reformed,  and  Pond's  brigade  charged  the  main  works  in 
handsome  style,  and,  supported  by  Hawley  and  some  colored 
troops,  carried  the  intrenchments,  after  a  long  struggle,  and 
captured  two  hundred  prisoners  and  some  colors.  The  fire 
was  very  hot,  and  for  an  hour  the  fighting  was  close  and 
hard,  it  being  at  short  range,  in  dense  woods.  The  loss  on 
both  sides  was  very  severe,  considering  the  numbers  engaged. 

"  This  was  the  principal  contest  of  the  day.  As  soon  as 
the  intrenchments  were  taken,  the  troops  were  set  to  work 
to  hold  them  against  the  enemy.  The  cavalry  had  now 
given  away  from  the  right,  and  the  enemy  redoubled  his 
attack  on  the  infantry  in  the  centre,  in  a  series  of  desperate 
assaults,  and  at  length  repossessed  the  works  which  had 
been  wrenched  from  him.  In  one  of  these  assaults  the  en 
emy's  General  Gherardie  was  killed.  About  six  P.  M.  one 

31 


242  DAVID     BELL    BIRNET. 

more  effort  was  made  by  Birney  to  retake  the  works,  but  it 
failed.  Our  losses  were  roughly  estimated  at  about  fifteen 
hundred,  one  thousand  being  set  down  to  the  Tenth  Corps. 
The  enemy's  loss  must  have  approximated  to  ours,  from  his 
having  assaulted  so  desperately  in  the  afternoon.  We  cap 
tured  several  battle-flags  and  a  large  number  of  prisoners, 
reckoned  at  about  four  hundred.  The  line  at  night  was  sub 
stantially  as  it  was  in  the  morning,  but  during  the  day  our 
forces  had  once  reached  a  point  about  six  miles  from  Rich 
mond." 

On  "Wednesday,  the  17th,  and  during  Thursday,  the  18th, 
the  Tenth  Corps  enjoyed  comparative  quiet.  During  Thurs 
day  night  a  fierce  assault  was  made  by  the  enemy  on  the 
intrenchments  occupied  by  the  corps.  This  was  a  desperate 
effort  to  retake  the  ground  which  the  enemy  had  lost,  but 
it  was  unsuccessful.  General  Birney  telegraphed  to  General 
Butler  as  follows: — 

HEADQUARTERS  TENTH  ARMY  CORPS, 
August  19,  1864. 

The  enemy  attacked  my  line  in  heavy  force  last  night, 
and  was  repulsed  with  great  loss.  In  front  of  one  colored 
regiment,  eighty-two  dead  bodies  are  counted.  The  colored 
troops  behaved  handsomely  and  are  in  fine  spirits.  The  as 
sault  was  in  column,  a  division  strong,  and  would  have  car 
ried  the  works  if  they  had  not  been  so  well  defended.  The 
enemy's  loss  was  at  least  one  thousand. 

D.  B.  BIRNEY, 

Major-general. 

This  telegram  was  repeated  by  General  Butler  to  General 
Grant,  and  by  him  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  who,  on  August 


THE    FIRST    MOVEMENT    TO    DEEP    BOTTOM.  243 

20th,  made  it  a  part  of  his  dispatch,  nominally  to  General 
Dix,  but  really  for  the  information  of  the  country. 

It  was  during  this  movement  that  the  soldiers  of  the 
Tenth  Corps  gave  to  their  General  (D.  B.  Birney)  the  nick 
name  of  Deep  Bottom  Birney,  by  which  he  was  known 
during  the  rest  of  his  career. 

In  the  corps,  the  battle  of  Tuesday,  16th,  is  known  as  the 
battle  of  Fussell's  mill,  although  out  of  the  army  it  has 
been  termed  the  battle  of  Deep  Run.  For  the  skill  dis 
played  by  General  Birney,  during  this  movement  north  of 
the  James,  he  was  recommended  by  Generals  Hancock, 
Butler,  and  Grant  for  the  first  vacancy  in  the  grade  of 
brigadier-general  in  the  regular  army. 

The  following  order  was  promulgated  before  the  corps  re- 
crossed  the  river: — 

HEADQUARTERS  TENTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

IN  THE  FIELD,  August  19,  18C4. 

[GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  25.] 

The  major-general  commanding  congratulates  the  Tenth 
Army  Corps  on  its  success.  It  has  on  each  occasion,  when 
ordered,  broken  the  enemy's  strong  lines,  and  has  captured 
during  this  short  campaign  four  siege  guns,  protected  by  the 
most  formidable  works,  six  stands  of  colors,  and  many  pri 
soners.  It  has  proved  itself  worthy  of  its  old  Wagner  and 
Sumtcr  renown. 

Much  fatigue,  patience,  and  heroism  may  still  be  de 
manded  of  it,  but  the  major-general  commanding  is  confi 
dent  of  the  response. 

To  the  colored  troops,  recently  added  to  us  and  fighting 


244  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

with  us,  the  major-general  commanding  tenders  his  thanks 
for  their  uniform  good  conduct  and  soldierly  bearing,  setting 
a  good  example  to  our  veterans,  by  the  entire  absence  of 
straggling  on  the  march. 

By  command  of  Major-general  D.  B.  Birney. 

ED.  W.  SMITH, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general. 

The  movement  at  Deep  Bottom  not  having  produced 
the  desired  results,  there  was  again  a  lull  in  the  storm. 
Bimey  returned  to  his  old  lines  and  established  his  head 
quarters  at  "Hatcher's  farm"  for  several  days.  On  Fri 
day,  the  26th,  the  corps  moved  and  took  position  in  the 
trenches  around  Petersburg,  relieving  the  Eighteenth  Corps, 
which  went  north  of  the  Appomattox  and  occupied  the  line 
which  the  Tenth  Corps  had  vacated. 


IN   THE    TBEFOHES. 

HE  Tenth  Corps  remained  on  duty  before 
Petersburg  until  September  the  28th. 
During  this  time  little  occurred  to 
vary  the  monotony  of  the  soldier's 
life.  The  men,  however,  were  not 
idle.  Exchanging  the  musket  for  the 
spade,  they  threw  up  earthworks,  and 
among  them  Fort  Stedman,  which  subsequently  became 
so  conspicuous  in  the  annals  of  the  siege.  The  event  of 
most  interest  to  the  men  which  transpired  during  this  in 
terval  was  the  grand,  national  salute  of  shotted  guns,  which 
General  Grant  ordered  to  be  fired  along  our  entire  line, 
when  the  intelligence  of  the  fall  of  Atlanta  reached  the  army. 
The  scene,  as  witnessed  by  the  corps,  is  thus  described  in 
a  private  letter  written  by  a  member  of  General  Birney's 
staff,  which  found  its  way  into  the  columns  of  a  Massachu 
setts  paper: — 

"Last  evening,  in  honor  of  the  victory  at  Atlanta,  we 
opened  all  our  guns  on  Petersburg,  firing  a  national  salute, 
or  thirty-six  rounds  from  each  battery.  The  firing  com 
menced  about  eleven  o'clock.  You  cannot  imagine  either 
the  sight  or  the  sound.  The  pyrotechnical  display  would 
have  done  honor  to  the  fourth  of  July,  and  the  noise  satis 
fied  the  most  uproarious  of  urchins. 

(245) 


246  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

"  Through  the  air,  describing  every  variety  of  curve,  some 
mounting  high  up  and  others  moving  in  quick  half  circles, 
passing  and  crossing  each  other,  following  one  another  in 
rapid  succession,  or  rising  from  the  same  point  and  sepa 
rating  far  apart,  the  bombs  were  seen,  like  meteors,  as  if 
whole  constellations  had  broken  loose  and  were  wildly  rush 
ing  into  chaos.  Sometimes  they  explode  high  in  the  air, 
sometimes  near  the  ground,  and  one  wonders  if  they  fall 
harmless  to  the  earth,  or  if  they  fulfil  their  mission  of  de 
struction;  if  they  go  crashing  through  the  roofs  and  walls 
of  churches,  stores,  houses,  and  barns,  or  are  satisfied  with 
knocking  a  few  bricks  from  the  chimneys,  or  a  corner  off 
here  and  there.  All  along  the  horizon  you  see  the  quick 
flash  of  the  explosion  of  the  guns,  which  looks  like  the 
lightning  that  plays  in  the  clouds  at  the  close  of  a  hot  sum 
mer's  day,  and  the  sound  comes  up  in  one  continual  rumble 
and  roar,  which  reverberates  far  away,  in  the  woods  and  the 
hollows,  to  the  right  and  left.  Mingling  therewith  are  the 
insinuating  sounds  of  the  percussion  shells,  from  the  rifled 
guns ;  sounds  indescribable  by  either  words,  shrieks,  or 
screeches;  sounds  delectable  only  when  listened  to  with  the 
consciousness  that  the  guns  are  not  pointed  towards  or  the 
contents  intended  to  reach  you.  Our  large  thir teen-inch 
mortar  is  the  pet  of  the  line  and  speaks  in  thunder  tones. 
It  devours  nineteen  and  a  half  pounds  of  powder  and 
throws  a  shell  two  hundred  pounds  in  weight.  Think  of 
such  a  piece  of  hardware  as  a  periodical  caller.  The  largest 
gun  which  the  rebels  have  opposed  to  us  is  planted  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Appomattox  and  enfilades  a  portion  of  our 
line.  It  is  said  to  be  of  Rodman  manufacture,  and  the 


IN    THE    TRENCHES.  247 

shells  come  sailing  quietly  along,  like  comets,  but  generally 
bursting  in  the  air  and  short  of  their  intended  mark. 

"Doubtless  somebody's  slumbers  were  disturbed  last  night 
in  Petersburg.  This  is  the  only  general  cannonade  since 
we  recrossed  the  James.  Occasionally  some  battery  opens 
when  the  pickets  fire  more  than  usual,  or  the  'Express' 
sends  over  a  message,  or  the  General  orders  the  'town-clock 
to  be  wound  up,'  which  by  this  time  must  be  pretty  effect 
ually  wound  up,  unless  it  has  'run  down,'  to  keep  out  of 
harm's  way." 

Here  General  Bimey's  headquarter  camp  was  laid  out  in 
the  form  of  a  semicircle,  the  tents  shaded  by  awnings  of 
evergreens,  and  on  each  side  of  the  broad  avenue  a  brilliant 
green  lawn  was  secured  by  the  sowing  of  oats.  To  it  was 
awarded  the  compliment,  which  Birney,  oftener  than  any 
other  general  could  appropriate,  of  being  the  finest  head 
quarters  in  the  army. 


NEW  REGIMENTS. 

OON  after  General  Birney  was  assigned  to 
command  the  Tenth  Corps  he  turned 
his  attention  to  increasing  its  numbers. 
Early  in  August  he  obtained  permission 
from  the  War  Department  to  raise  a 
regiment  of  sharpshooters  in  Pennsyl 
vania.  He  selected  for  the  command  of 
this  regiment  Major  J.  W.  Moore,  of  the  Ninety-ninth 
Pennsylvania  volunteers,  who  had  enlisted  as  a  private  in  a 
Philadelphia  regiment  during  the  three  months'  campaign, 
and  afterwards  entered  the  service  for  three  years  as  a 
second  lieutenant.  He  rose  from  rank  to  rank  solely  by 
his  merits,  and  when  he  attracted  the  attention  of  his  com 
manding  general  held  the  commission  of  major.  Like  Bir 
ney  he  was  a  quiet,  unobtrusive  man,  but  resolute  and 
determined,  and  no  inducement  or  temptation  could  swerve 
him  from  the  path  of  duty.  He  came  to  Philadelphia  with 
letters  from  Birney  to  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  asking 
that  the  command  of  a  regiment  be  given  him,  and  with 
letters  to  the  writer  and  other  friends  of  General  Birney  in 
Philadelphia,  urging  them  to  aid  Major  Moore  in  raising 
the  regiment.  They  at  once  took  hold  of  the  matter  with 
spirit,  and,  in  less  than  two  weeks  from  his  arrival  in 
Philadelphia,  Moore  went  to  the  front  and  took  his  position 
(248) 


NEYT    REGIMENTS.  249 

in  General  Birncy's  command  as  colonel  of  the  Two-hun- 
dred-and-tliird  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  The  regiment  is 
still  in  service,  (June,  1865,)  but  its  gallant  colonel  sleeps 
in  a  soldier's  grave.  His  regiment  led  the  attacking  party 
in  the  assault  on  Fort  Fisher,  near  Wilmington,  North  Caro 
lina.  Colonel  Moore  was  one  of  the  first  to  enter  the  work, 
and  he  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Lyman,  of  the  regiment,  fell 
victims  to  rebel  bullets. 

When  the  regiment  left  Philadelphia  the  following  notice 
appeared  in  the  Philadelphia  Inquirer : — 

"THE  WAY  TO  DO  IT. — Yesterday  morning  the  Two-hun- 
drcd-and-third  regiment  of  Pennsylvania  volunteers  struck 
tents  at  Camp  Cadwalader,  and  marched  through  the  city 
on  their  way  to  the  front,  under  orders  to  report  to  General 
Birney,  commanding  the  Tenth  Army  Corps.  They  went 
through  without-  display.  No  presentation  of  flags  or  other 
ceremony  attended  their  departure.  This  absence  of  display 
has  characterized  the  raising  and  organization  of  the  entire 
regiment.  On  the  15th  of  August,  J.  W.  Moore,  major  of 
the  Ninety-ninth  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  commenced  re 
cruiting  in  this  city,  and  subsequently  in  other  parts  of 
the  State.  He  had  come  up  from  the  front  with  authority 
from  the  War  Department  to  raise  a  regiment  of  sharp 
shooters,  to  be  attached  to  the  Tenth  Corps.  He  went  to 
work  earnestly,  and  in  less  than  thirty  days  had  mustered 
in  about  thirteen  hundred  men — more  than  was  required 
for  his  own  regiment.  The  Government  were  unable  to 
furnish  arms  and  uniforms  for  the  entire  regiment,  or 
Colonel  Moore  would  have  left  the  city  ten  days  ago. 

"The  surplus  men  will  be  attached  to  the  Two-hundred- 

32 


250  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

and-thirteenth  regiment,  which  J.  C.  Briscoe,  major  on 
General  Birney's  staff,  is  now  raising  in  the  city.  Though 
he  has  been  in  town  less  than  ten  days,  he  has  already 
nearly  six  hundred  men.  His  regiment  will  be  armed  and 
uniformed  as  sharpshooters,  and  will  be  attached  to  the 
Tenth  Corps. 

"The  appearance  of  the  Two-hundred-and-third  regiment, 
as  they  marched  through  the  streets  yesterday,  was  the 
theme  of  general  remark.  More  than  one-half  the  men 
were  veterans,  and  the  others  were  men  in  the  prime  of 
life  and  able  to  endure  the  hardships  of  the  field.  Though 
we  have  often  seen  more  display  on  such  an  occasion,  we 
have  never  seen  a  finer  body  of  men,  who  looked  as  if  they 
were  in  earnest,  and  were  not  on  a  holiday  excursion. 

"Colonel  Moore  deserves  great  praise  for  the  energy  and 
tact  he  has  shown  in  raising  the  regiment.  He  has  him 
self  come  out  of  the  ranks,  and  is  an  accomplished  soldier. 
With  such  men  as  he  has  selected,  we  are  sure  he  will 
prove  himself  a  competent  leader,  and  the  rebels  will  often 
get  messages  from  his  sharpshooters." 

When  the  great  success  of  Colonel  Moore  in  organizing 
his  regiment  was  communicated  to  General  Birney,  he  ap 
plied  to  and  obtained  from  the  War  Department  authority 
« 

to  raise  a  second  regiment  of  sharpshooters.  This  authority 
he  transferred  to  the  "Charles  O'Malley  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,"  J.  C.  Briscoe,  who  was  then  serving  on  the 
staff  of  General  Birney  as  senior  aide.  When  Birney  was 
assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Tenth.,  Corps,  Briscoe  had 
the  rank  of  Captain  in  the  Fortieth  New  York  volunteers. 
Birnoy  asked  his  promotion  to  the  rank  of  Major  on  the 


NEW    REGIMENTS.  251 

corps   staff.     This  request  was   complied  with,  and  the  pro 
motion  made. 

Major  Briscoe  came  to  Philadelphia  armed  with  letters 
similar  to  those  which  Birney  had  given  to  Major  Moore. 
Birney's  friends,  profiting  by  the  experience  which  they 
had  gained  while  raising  the  Two-hundred-and-third  regi 
ment  for  Major  Moore,  immediately  made  a  raid  upon  the 
purses  of  their  acquaintances,  and  soon  raised  three  thou 
sand  dollars  to  pay  the  extraordinary  expense  which  might 
be  incurred  in  organizing  a  regiment  for  Briscoe.  The  Ad 
jutant-general  of  Pennsylvania,  under  the  authority  of  the 
Governor,  designated  Briscoe's  future  regiment  as  the  "Two- 
hundred-and-fourtcenth  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  Such  had 
been  Moore's  success,  that  when  he  went  to  the  front  with 
the  Two-hundred-and-third  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  he  had 
left  in  Camp  Cadwalader,  Philadelphia,  three  full  com 
panies,  which  had  been  recruited  for  his  regiment  in 
different  portions  of  the  State,  before  it  was  known  that 
the  regiment  was  full.  These  companies  Briscoe  secured 
as  the  nucleus  of  his  regiment,  and  immediately  opened 
recruiting  offices  in  different  parts  of  the  State.  At  that 
time  there  were  in  Camp  Cadwalader  five  companies  of 
the  One-hundred-and-ninety-ninth  Pennsylvania  volunteers, 
which  was  then  being  organized  under  the  patronage  of 
the  Union  League  of  Philadelphia.  By  his  persuasive 
powers,  Briscoe  induced  the  authorities  at  Harrisburg  to 
permit  him  to  abandon  the  effort  to  raise  the  Two-hundred- 
and-fourteenth  regiment,  and  to  add  to  the  five  companies 
of  the  One-hundred-and-ninety-ninth  the  three  he  had  in 
herited  from  Colonel  Moore.  Two  more  companies  were 


252  DAVID    BELL    BIRNET. 

soon  obtained  from  Briscoe's  recruiting  agents,  and  thus 
the  regiment  was  filled  within  ten  days  after  his  arrival  in 
Philadelphia,  and  Briscoe  returned  to  the  front  and  took 
his  place  in  the  Tenth  Corps  as  Colonel  of  the  One-hmi- 
dred-and-ninety-ninth  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  His  regi 
ment  was  soon  in  condition,  and  shortly  after  General 
Birney's  death  General  Butler  told  the  writer  that  it  was 
one  of  the  finest  regiments  in  his  command.  Colonel  Bris 
coe  kept  up  its  efficiency,  although  it  was  out  of  his  power 
to  get  the  regiment  into  action  until  the  movement  by 
which  General  Grant  compelled  the  enemy  to  evacuate 
Petersburg.  Until  that  time  they  were  doing  picket  duty, 
or  similar  service,  and  the  assault  on  Fort  Gregg,  near 
Petersburg,  was  their  first  serious  encounter.  Here  they 
did  well,  and  then  participated  in  -the  pursuit  of  Gen 
eral  Lee.  They  were  engaged  in  the  fight  near  Appomat- 
tox  Court  House,  which  was  the  last  engagement  which 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  fought.  Thus  Colonel  Briscoe, 
who,  in  the  skirmish  at  Big  Bethel  in  1861,  carried  the 
colors  of  the  First  New  York  volunteers  as  high  private  in 
the  beginning  of  the  rebellion,  led  forward  his  regiment  at 
Appomattox  Court  House,  (in  spite  of  the  wound  he  had 
received  in  the  assault  on  Fort  Gregg,)  and  as  colonel  did 
his  share  in  giving  to  the  rebellion  the  stab  which  caused 
its  death.  For  his  gallantry  during  this  movement  he  has 
since  been  promoted  to  be  a  brigadier-general  by  brevet. 

The  extraordinary  expenses  which  Briscoe  incurred  in 
raising  his  regiment  amounted  to  less  than  eight  hundred 
dollars,  which  left  in  the  hands  of  the  Committee  more 
than  twenty-two  hundred  dollars.  During  a  meeting  in 


NEW    REGIMENTS.  253 

August,  1863,  at  the  house  of  the  Hon.  William  Millward, 
one  of  the  Committee,  it  was  decided  that  the  writer  should 
expend  a  portion  of  the  fund  in  presenting  to  Colonel 
Briscoe  a  complete  outfit.  This  order  was  executed,  and 
there  still  remained  in  the  hands  of  the  treasurer  nearly 
one  thousand  dollars.  The  balance  was  unanimously  appro 
priated  to  pay  for  a  dinner,  which  it  was  proposed  should 
be  given  to  General  Birney  the  first  time  he  returned 
home,  to  which  all  the  subscribers  to  the  fund  were  to  be 
invited.  This  disposition  of  the  balance  was  premature,  for 
General  Birney  came  home  only  to  die,  and  after  his  death 
the  money,  which  had  been  appropriated  for  festivity,  was 
used  to  pay  for  a  lot  in  the  cemetery  in  which  his  remains 
were  laid,  and  to  defray  the  expenses  of  his  funeral. 


RESOLUTIONS   OF   COUNCILS. 


ITCH  had  been  Birney's  success  dur 
ing  the  campaign  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  under  General  Grant, 
that,  for  the  first  time,  the  authorities  of 
Philadelphia  recognized,  in  a  formal  man 
ner,  the  honor  he  had  conferred  upon  his 
adopted  city  by  his  services  during  the 
rebellion.  On  the  24th  day  of  September,  the  follow 
ing  resolutions  were  passed  by  the  Select  and  Common 
Councils : — 

"Resolved,  By  the  Select  and  Common  Councils  of  the 
city  of  Philadelphia,  That  the  thanks  of  the  authorities  of 
the  city  of  Philadelphia  are  eminently  due  and  are  hereby 
tendered  to  Major-general  David  B.  Birney,  for  his  brilliant 
services  in  the  cause  of  the  Union,  and  his  efforts  to  sup 
press  this  unholy  rebellion  against  the  authority  of  the 
Government  and  the  people  of  the  United  States. 

"Resolved,  That  the  use  of  Independence  Hall  be  granted 
to  Major-general  Birney  for  the  reception  of  his  friends, 
and  in  order  to  afford  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia  an  op 
portunity  of  testifying  their  personal  regard  for  him  and 
their  appreciation  of  his  gallantry  and  patriotism. 

(254) 


RESOLUTIONS    OF    COUNCILS.  255 

"Resolved,  That  the  Mayor  of  the  city  and  Presidents 
of  Councils  be  requested  to  carry  these  resolutions  into 
effect,  and  that  the  Clerks  of  Councils  be  requested  to 
furnish  a  copy  of  the  same  to  General  Birney  on  his 
arrival  in  the  city." 

These  resolutions  were  forwarded  to  General  Birney,  but 
were  never  acknowledged  formally  by  him.  He  anticipated 
coming  home,  from  time  to  time,  and  had  his  health  per 
mitted  would,  on  his  return,  have  availed  himself  of  the 
offer  contained  in  the  resolutions.  He  duly  appreciated 
the  compliment  intended  him,  and,  though  offered  late  in 
his  career,  it  was  acceptable,  for  by  his  success  he  had  long 
before  merited  all  the  honors  which  it  was  within  the 
power  of  the  municipal  authorities  of  his  adopted  city  to 
bestow  upon  him. 

The  resolutions  were  handsomely  engrossed  and  framed, 
and  are  now  in  the  possession  of  his  family  among  many 
similar  testimonials. 


NEW   MOVEMENTS. 

BOUT   the    latter   part    of  September   it 
was  evident  that  new  movements  were 
contemplated.     During    the    rest   which 
the   men   of  the   Armies  of  the    Poto 
mac  and  the  James  were  enjoying,  the 
principal  general  officers  of  both  armies 
were  actively  engaged  in  forming  new 
combinations,  and   laying   the    plans   of  renewed    efforts   to 
dislodge    the    enemy    from    his    intrenchments.      In    these 
councils  Birney,  by  virtue  of  his  new  command,  was  invited 
to  participate,  and  he   soon  made  his  presence  felt  by  the 
originality  of  his    suggestions    and  the   comprehensive  view 
which   he   took   of  the   situation   of  the   two   armies.      On 
September   26th,  General   Grant,  accompanied   by  Generals 
Butler  and  Birney,  and  by  Secretary  Seward,  Hon.  Charles 
A.  Dana,  Assistant-secretary  of  War,  and  Hon.  E.  B.  Wash- 
burne,  member  of  Congress  from  Illinois,  went  up  the  James 
river,  in  a  dispatch  boat,  as   far  as  Dutch  Gap,  ostensibly 
on  a  pleasure  trip,  but  really  on  a  tour  of  consultation  and 
observation.      During    this    trip   General    Grant   decided   to 
make  the  movements  which  were  begun  on  September  29th. 
How  well  these   plans  of  General   Grant  were   executed 
will  appear  hereafter.     It  is  very  certain  that  no  one  of  the 
Tenth    Corps   who    participated    in    them,    except    General 
(256) 


NEW    MOVEMENTS.  257 

Birney,  understood  their  meaning  until  they  were  fully 
developed.  From  the  nature  of  the  orders  given,  the  staff 
and  general  officers  of  the  corps  were,  of  course,  aware 
that  a  movement  was  contemplated,  but  to  what  point  or 
for  what  purpose  they  could  not  divine.  At  the  time  of 
its  commencement  there  were  a  number  of  transports  col 
lected  at  City  Point,  and  rumor  said  that  the  Tenth  Corps 
was  destined  for  Wilmington,  N.  C.  This  impression  was 
confirmed  by  the  fact  that  General  Graham,  who  com 
manded  the  army  flotilla,  composing  part  of  the  Army  of 
the  James,  had  just  returned  from  a  reconnoissance  near 
Wilmington. 

Never  was  a  military  secret  kept  with  more  fidelity. 
Birney's  proverbial  taciturnity  was  exercised  to  its  full 
extent,  and  it  proved  to  be  not  only  impervious  to  the 
curiosity  of  the  officers  of  his  staif,  but  even  the  inquisi- 
tiveness  of  army  correspondents  could  not  elicit  a  hint  of 
what  was  in  contemplation. 


S3 


SECOND    MOVEMENT    ON   DEEP    BOTTOM. 

CURING  the  night  of  September  28th, 

^     the  Tenth  Corps  was  moved  in  light 

~^ } 

'-•*    marching    order   up   to  Jones'  Neck, 

and  thence  across  the  James  on  muffled  pon 
toon   bridges  to  Deep  Bottom.      This    move 
ment   was    under    the    direction    of    General 
Butler,  whose    army  consisted    of   the    Tenth    Corps   under 
General   Birney,    the   Eighteenth    under   General    Ord,    and 
a   division    of   cavalry   under    General    Kautz.      While   the 
Eighteenth    Corps,    under    General    Ord,   was    making    the 
advance,  on  the  Varina  road,  the  Tenth  Corps  was   equally 
active,    and    marched    from     Deep     Bottom     towards     New 
Market.     The  latter  soon  encountered  the  enemy's  pickets, 
and   drove   them    back    to    the    Kingsland    road.      At   the 
junction    of    this    road    with    the    New    Market    road    the 
enemy   awaited   the    coming   of    our    troops.      Here    strong 
breastworks   had   been   erected   on   a   commanding  position, 
called    New    Market     Heights,    which     covered     the    junc 
tion  of  the  two    roads.      A  marshy  ground  in   front,   with 
dwarf   trees    and    a   dense    undergrowth,   rendered    the    ap 
proach   to    these   works    very  difficult;    but    Paine's    colored 
division   of  the   Eighteenth    Corps,  which   had   reported    to 
General  Birney,  successfully  encountered  the   natural   obsta 
cles   of  this    approach.      A   murderous    fire    swept   through 
(258) 


SECOND    MOVEMENT    ON    DEEP    BOTTOM.  259 

them  at  every  step,  but  without  firing  a  shot  they  marched 
onward  and  carried  the  works  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 
This  was  the  key-point  to  the  enemy's  line,  and  was,  there 
fore,  defended  with  great  obstinacy,  but  Paine's  men  car 
ried  it,  in  spite  of  all  opposition.  He  lost  nearly  two 
hundred  killed,  in  this  gallant  struggle,  and  many  more 
than  this  number  were  wounded.  Generals  Grant,  Butler, 
and  Birney  were  present  to  witness  this  conflict,  and  the 
next  day,  when  Paine's  division  rejoined  the  Eighteenth 
Corps,  General  Birney  sent  them  a  complimentary  letter  of 
thanks  for  their  conduct  in  the  assault  upon  New  Market 
Heights. 

During  this  time  Terry's  first  division  of  the  Tenth 
Corps  pushed  in  on  the  right,  driving  the  enemy  from  that 
portion  of  the  heights  and  retaining  the  position.  Without 
pausing  after  these  successes,  Birney  pushed  up  the  road 
towards  Richmond,  and  soon  reached  the  point  of  intersec 
tion  between  the  New  Market  and  Mill  roads.  During 
this  time  Generals  Grant  and  Birney  rode  alongside  of  the 
troops  towards  the  head  of  the  column.  General  Grant's 
presence  was  instantly  known  to  the  soldiers,  and  acted 
like  magnetism  along  the  whole  line.  The  enthusiasm  of 
the  men  knew  no  bounds  when  they  found  that  their  move 
ments  were  under  the  eyes  of  the  Lieutenant-general  com 
manding  the  Armies  of  the  United  States.  They  marched 
onward  and  soon  carried  the  works  at  the  intersection  of 
the  New  Market  and  Mill  roads.  This  point  was  covered 
by  earthworks,  which  were  feebly  defended,  and  so  rapid 
was  the  retreat  of  the  enemy  that  few  prisoners  were  taken. 

The  accuracy  of  General  Butler's  knowledge  of  the  move- 


260  DAVID    BELL    BIBA'EY. 

ments  of  the  enemy  was  singularly  verified  after  this  attack. 
He  had  ascertained,  and  stated  before  the  movement  began, 
what  force  of  the  enemy  held  this  point,  and  of  how  many 
men  it  was  composed.  After  the  successful  assault  a  morn 
ing  report  was  found  in  the  works,  which  proved  General 
Butler's  statement  to  be  correct,  but  showed  that  he  had 
mistaken  the  strength  of  the  enemy  by  some  twenty  men. 

After  this  success,  the  advance  of  the  Tenth  Corps,  com 
posed  of  Foster's  second  division,  easily  drove  the  enemy 
within  six  miles  of  Richmond,  at  the  junction  of  the 
Varina  and  New  Market  roads.  At  this  point  the  enemy 
had  erected  earthworks,  behind  which  they  successfully  re 
sisted  the  further  advance  of  our  troops,  and  it  soon  became 
evident  that  these  works  on  Laurel  Hill,  as  the  ground  was 
called,  were  not  then  to  fall  into  our  possession. 

While  these  movements  were  going  on,  the  division  of 
cavalry  under  General  Kautz  was  equally  successful.  At 
nine  o'clock  A.  M.  General  Kautz  moved  to  the  right,  up 
the  Darbytown  or  Central  road.  He  met  with  no  opposi 
tion  until  he  had  nearly  reached  the  tollgate,  less  than 
three  miles  from  Richmond.  He  then  reconnoitcred  the 
roads  on  the  right,  and  sent  back  word  that,  if  he  had  in 
fantry  support,  he  thought  he  could  go  into  the  city.  Imme 
diately  Terry's  division  was  sent  out  to  his  support.  Terry 
marched  across  from  the  New  Market  to  the  Central  road, 
and  came  within  view  of  the  spires  of  Richmond.  While 
he  occupied  this  position,  the  Fourth  Massachusetts  cavalry, 
under  Colonel  Rand,  made  a  bold  reconnoissance  and  ad 
vanced  to  within  two  miles  of  the  capitol  at  Richmond, 
nearer  than  any  of  our  troops  had  been  previously  during 


SECOND    MOVEMENT    ON    DEEP    BOTTOM.  261 

the  rebellion.  The  failure,  however,  to  carry  the  works  at 
Laurel  Hill  compelled  the  return  of  the  infantry  under  Gen 
eral  Terry.  The  cavalry  bivouacked  that  night  on  the 
Fair  ground,  in  the  suburbs  of  Richmond. 

This  day's  movement  was  gazetted  to  the  country  in  a 
dispatch  from  General  Grant  to  General  Halleck,  in  the 
following  words : — 

HEADQUARTERS,  CHAPIN'S  FARM,  10.45  A.  M., 
Thursday,  September  29,  1864. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  HALLECK: 

General  Ord's  corps  advanced  this  morning  and  carried 
the  very  strong  fortifications  and  long  line  of  intrenchments 
below  Chapin's  farm,  some  fifteen  pieces  of  artillery,  and 
from  two  to  three  hundred  prisoners. 

General  Ord  was  wounded,  though  not  dangerously. 

General  Birney  advanced  at  the  same  time  from  Deep 
Bottom  and  carried  the  New  Market  road  and  intrench 
ments,  scattering  the  enemy  in  every  direction,  though  he 
captured  but  few. 

He  is  now  marching  on  towards  Richmond. 

I  left  General  .Birney  where  the  Mill  road  intersects  the 
New  Market  and  Richmond  road. 

This  whole  country  is  filled  with  field  fortifications  thus 
far. 

U.  S.  GRANT, 

Lieutenant-general. 

These  movements  were  also  described  by  a  correspondent 
of  the  New  York  Herald,  who,  writing  under  date  of  Sep 
tember  30th,  says : — 

"General  Butler  complimented  the  gallant  commander  of 


262  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

the  Tenth  Corps,  by  saying  to  him,  in  the  presence  of  his 
own  and  General  Birney's  staff,  that  he  had  never  known 
orders  more  accurately  obeyed,  nor  an  offensive  movement, 
depending  for  its  success  on  the  junction  of  troops  moving 
on  converging  lines,  prosecuted  with  greater  punctuality. 
Birney  was  at  each  of  the  points  laid  out  for  him  to  attack 
at  the  very  moment  directed  in  the  plan  of  the  general 
movement.  No  opposition  offered  by  the  enemy,  no  fatigue 
suffered  by  his  men,  no  difficulties  in  the  way  of  any  nature, 
however  formidable,  were  permitted  to  check  his  progress, 
but  at  the  hour  set  he  was  at  the  junction  of  the  two  roads, 
the  point  beyond  which  his  movements  were  contingent 
upon  circumstances,  and  subject  to  direction  of  his  superior 
officers." 

On  Friday  morning,  September  30th,  the  enemy  made  an 
unsuccessful  attempt  to  dislodge  Birney  from  the  position 
he  had  captured  the  day  previous.  This  movement  the 
Army  and  Navy  Journal,  in  its  issue  of  October  8th,  de 
scribes  in  the  following  words : — 

On  Thursday  evening  "Birney  withdrew  from  Laurel  Hill 
to  the  captured  line  of  works  in  his  rear,"  and  his  left 
formed  connection  with  the  right  of  the  Eighteenth  Corps 
at  Fort  Harrison,  or,  as  it  was  afterwards  named,  Fort  Burn- 
ham.  "  The  result  proved  the  wisdom  of  these  dispositions. 
No  attack  was  received  during  the  night  of  Thursday,  but 
on  Friday,  the  30th,  about  two  o'clock,  the  enemy  made 
his  appearance  in  heavy  force,  having  been  largely  rein 
forced  during  the  night  and  morning  from  Petersburg.  In 
front  of  Stannard's  division,  of  the  Eighteenth  Corps,  (occu 
pying  Fort  Harrison,)  the  whole  of  Hoke's  division  is  said 


SECOND    MOVEMENT    ON    DEEP    BOTTOM.  263 

to  have  been  massed,  General  Lee  superintending  the  at 
tack.  His  object  was  to  break  through  the  captured  in- 
trenchments,  and  to  separate  the  Eighteenth  and  Tenth 
Corps.  The  attack  fell,  therefore,  mainly  on  the  right  of 
the  one  and  the  left  of  the  other.  -Painc's  colored  division 
was  getting  position,  on  the  left  of  the  colored  division 
which  formed  the  left  of  the  Tenth  Corps.  On  these,  about 
two  o'clock,  the  enemy  hurled  himself  with  great  violence. 
He  began  by  a  furious  cannonade  of  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes,  which  was  answered  by  our  artillery.  Our  colored 
soldiers  stood  their  ground  with  fidelity,  and  delivered  a 
withering  fire  of  musketry,  while  the  batteries  repaid  some 
thing  of  the  devastation  which  had  been  visited  on  our 
ranks  the  day  before.  But  it  was  on  Stannard's  division 
that  the  weight  of  the  attack  fell.  Deploying  in  three 
strong  lines  at  the  edge  of  the  wood,  the  enemy  charged 
with  great  promptitude,  under  cover  of  a  hot  shelling  from 
his  iron-clads  in  the  river,  and  an  annoying  enfilading  fire 
from  the  batteries  on  the  bank.  A  well-directed  musketry 
fire  sent  him  reeling  back  to  the  woods  before  reaching  the 
intrenchments.  Again,  and  still  a  third  time  was  the  charge 
renewed,  but  only  to  be  repulsed  with  great  slaughter.  Our 
men  had  been  instructed  to  depress  their  pieces,  and  the 
musketry  fire  was  at  once  incessant  and  murderous.  On 
the  breaking  of  the  enemy  General  Weitzel  succeeded  in 
cutting  off  and  capturing  over  two  hundred  prisoners,  in 
cluding  officers.  Two  battle-flags  were  also  captured. 

"At  evening  the  rain  descended  in  torrents,  and  all  that 
night  and  ah*  day  and  night  of  Saturday  it  continued,  put 
ting  the  roads  into  wretched  condition,  rendering  the  march 


264  DAVID   BELL   BIRNEY. 

of  troops  very  difficult.  During  Saturday  several  prisoners 
and  refugees  were  brought  in,  who  were  evidently  Richmond 
citizens  impressed  into  the  service.  The  city  was  said  to  be 
in  great  confusion;  business  entirely  suspended,  and  nearly 
every  male  over  fifteen,  except  invalids,  in  government  ser 


vice." 


On  Saturday,  October  1st,  General  Kautz,  with  his  di 
vision  of  cavalry,  supported  by  General  Terry,  with  his 
division  of  the  Tenth  Corps,  made  another  reconnoissance 
to  the  right,  up  the  Central  and  Charles  City  roads,  pene 
trating  to  the  main  line  of  the  defences  of  Richmond.  No 
body  of  our  troops  had  been  in  such  close  proximity  to  the 
city  since  the  opening  of  the  rebellion.  Sunday,  the  2d, 
was  busily  improved  in  rendering  the  works  behind  which 
our  troops  lay  stronger,  by  reversing  them  and  placing  the 
abattis  on  the  other  side  from  that  it  had  been  while  they 
were  occupied  by  the  enemy. 

On  Monday,  Tuesday,  and  Wednesday,  the  3d,  4th,  and 
5th  of  October,  no  movement  was  undertaken  by  the  Tenth 
Corps.  The  enemy  in  the  front  kept  up  a  constant  picket 
fire,  which  was  continued  with  singular  ferocity  on  the  6th. 
The  next  day,  Friday,  the  7th,  the  battle  of  Darbytown 
road  was  fought,  which  was  an  attempt  to  turn  the  right 
flank  of  the  Army  of  the  James,  which,  had  it  proved  suc 
cessful,  would  have  compelled  its  retreat  to  its  intrenched 
camp  at  Deep  Bottom  and  the  south  side  of  the  river.  At 
this  time  it  held  a  line  running  nearly  north-east  and  south 
west,  the  left  flank  resting  on  the  James  river  near  Dutch 
Gap,  and  the  right  of  its  infantry  line  extending  less  than 
half  way  to  the  Central  or  Darbytown  road,  from  the  New 


SECOND    MOVEMENT    ON    DEEP    BOTTOM.  265 

Market  road.  The  cavalry  under  General  Kautz,  who  re 
ported  and  was  subject  to  General  Birney's  orders,  pro 
tected  the  right  flank,  and  reconnoitcred  nearly  to  the 
Charles  City  road.  The  extreme  right  was  probably  five 
miles  distant  from  Richmond,  the  left  twice  that  distance. 

It  was  known  during  Saturday  night  that  a  movement 
was  on  foot  within  the  enemy's  lines,  and  its  nature  was 
readily  divined.  At  early  dawn  of  Friday  a  brigade  of 
rebel  cavalry,  with  Hoke's  and  Fields'  divisions  of  infantry, 
accompanied — as  it  was  afterwards  ascertained  from  pri 
soners  and  non-combatants  living  between  the  lines — by 
General  Robert  E.  Lee,  commenced  moving  on  the  Darby- 
town  and  Charles  City  roads.  At  six  A.  M.  they  burst 
upon  Kautz's  cavalry,  putting  the  greater  portion  of  it  in 
utter  rout,  and  sending  it  streaming  back,  over  the  works 
in  which  the  Tenth  Corps  was  lying,  in  the  wildest  dis 
order,  in  fact  perfectly  terror  stricken.  Kautz  had  with  his 
cavalry  two  batteries  of  artillery — "  B "  of  the  First  artillery, 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  Hall,  (now  colonel  of  the  United 
States  colored  troops,)  and  the  Fourth  Wisconsin  battery. 
These  batteries  were  left  almost  without  support,  although 
there  were  some  few  officers  and  men  who  rallied  around 
them  and  remained  until  the  last.  The  only  road  by  which 
this  artillery  could  retreat  was  a  woods  road,  which  had 
been  cut  the  day  before,  which  was  narrow,  filled  with 
stumps  of  trees,  and  which  crossed  at  one  point  a  swampy 
piece  of  ground,  which  had  been  but  partially  bridged. 
Lieutenant  Hall,  seeing  the  flight  of  the  cavalry,  counselled 
the  Wisconsin  battery  to  withdraw,  while  he  held  the  enemy 
in  check  as  long  as  possible,  so  that,  even  if  his  own  bat- 

34 


266  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

tery  were  lost,  it  would  be  lost  in  saving  another.  Hall's 
men  stood  to  their  guns  as  only  disciplined  men  will  stand, 
although  their  capture  seemed  almost  certain,  all  the  while 
sending  charge  after  charge  of  canister  into  the  masses  of 
troops  which,  having  emerged  from  the  woods,  were  forming 
as  rapidly  as  possible  on  the  open  field.  A  confederate 
officer  on  the  staff  of  General  Fields  said  to  an  acquaint 
ance  of  the  writer,  whom  he  met  under  a  flag  of  truce  a 
fortnight  thereafter,  "  That  battery  stayed  there  too  long,  but 
it  was  magnificently  served  and  did  us  fearful  injury."  Hall 
stayed  not  too  long,  but  only,  as  he  supposed,  long  enough 
for  the  Wisconsin  battery  to  give  him  a  clear  road,  when 
he  limbered  up  and  left  the  field.  Before  he  had  gone  a 
hundred  yards  into  the  woods  he  found  his  way  blocked  by 
a  caisson  of  the  Wisconsin  battery  overturned  in  the  road, 
and  before  it  could  be  displaced  the  rebels  were  around 
him,  and,  cutting  his  horses  free  from  his  pieces,  he  left 
them  their  dearly-bought  trophies. 

Meanwhile  General  Birney,  perceiving  the  intentions  of 
the  enemy  and  comprehending  his  real  designs,  was  hastily 
making  the  necessary  preparations  to  frustrate  them.  Upon 
any  but  the  best  disciplined  troops  the  panic  of  the  cavalry 
would  have  had  serious  effect,  and  might  have  totally  un 
fitted  them  for  resistance.  But  it  was  not  the  case  with  the 
veterans  of  the  Tenth  Corps,  and  the  stampede  was  com 
municated  only  to  a  few  teamsters  and  non-combatants,  and 
this  was  readily  quelled  by  the  presence  of  a  few  fearless 
spirits.  The  road  was  quickly  freed  from  all  impediments, 
the  trains  were  started  for  Varina  landing,  a  battery  was 
put  in  position  commanding  the  approach  to  our  rear  by 


SECOND    MOVEMENT    ON    DEEP    BOTTOM.  267 

the  New  Market  road,  and  Terry's  division  was  thrown  far 
round  to  the  right,  parallel  with  the  same  road,  and  rein 
forced  by  a  brigade  from  Foster's  division,  under  Curtis. 
This  line  was  formed  in  the  thick  woods,  for  the  most  part, 
and  but  a  very  small  proportion  of  it  was  protected  by  earth 
works  or  rifle  pits  of  any  kind.  These  dispositions  were 
scarcely  complete  before  Fields'  division,  which  had  ob 
tained  possession  of  the  Central  road,  advanced  to  the 
attack.  As  he  approached  the  artillery  was  brought  to 
bear  upon  his  columns,  and  a  disastrous  enfilading  fire  made 
a  momentary  confusion  in  his  ranks.  In  reply,  the  enemy 
opened  with  some  ten  or  twelve  pieces,  and  poured  solid 
shot,  shell,  and  spherical  case  in  one  continuous  shower, 
which,  although  not  particularly  fatal  to  our  men,  who  at 
that  point  had  cover,  was  the  means  of  disabling  so  many 
of  the  battery  horses  that,  had  we  retreated,  the  guns  must 
either  have  been  hauled  off  by  hand  or  abandoned.  Sit 
ting  quietly  in  his  saddle,  surrounded  by  his  staff  and 
escort,  in  full  view  of  these  rebel  artillery  men,  General 
Birncy  watched,  at  a  few  minutes  after  nine  o'clock,  the 
attack  of  Fields'  division,  dashing  over  the  open  space 
and  gaining  the  woods  in  front  of  Terry.  "Our  infantry 
remained  quiet  until  the  enemy  was  very  close,  when  all 
four  brigades,  rising  from  their  half  ambush,  poured  into 
him  a  destructive  volley.  The  chief  attack  fell  upon.  Abbot's 
brigade,  a  part  of  which  was  armed  with  Spencer  repeating 
rifles.  This  weapon,  at  such  short  range,  proved  very 
deadly.  Shattered  though  he  was  by  Terry's  fire,  the 
enemy  stiH  clung  obstinately  to  his  attempt,  and  a  fierce 
musketry  battle  took  place  in  the  woods.  Our  troops  found 


268  DAVID   BELL   BIRNEY. 

they  had  no  longer  the  Richmond  militia  to  contend  with, 
but  veterans.  After  the  engagement  had  been  prolonged 
for  half  an  hour  or  more,  the  enemy  made  a  second  rush, 
falling  more  particularly  upon  Pond's  brigade;  but  it  was 
equally  as  unsuccessful  as  the  first,  and  they  commenced 
thereafter  to  withdraw,  still  keeping  up  the  same  withering 
artillery  fire." 

General  Birncy  at  once  sent  out  a  force  in  pursuit,  to  dis 
cover  their  further  intentions  and  prevent  them  from  esta 
blishing  themselves,  by  throwing  up  works,  on  the  Central 
road.  At  this  time  he  sent  the  following  telegram  to  the 
major-general  commanding  the  Department : — 

HEADQUARTERS  TEKTH  ARMY  CORPS, 
October  7,  1867,  10.15  A.  M. 

MAJOR-GENERAL  B.  F.  BUTLER: — 

We  have  repulsed  the  attack  of  the  enemy  on  our  right 
flank,  with  great  slaughter.  The  troops  seem  to  be  Fields' 
and  Pickett's  divisions.  I  send  you  a  batch  of  prisoners. 
I  am  extending  my  right  flank.  The  enemy  seem  to  be 
intrenching  on  the  Darbytown  road. 

D.  B.  BIRNEY, 

Major-general. 

General  Hoke's  division,  which  had  moved  down  the 
Charles  City  road,  went  still  farther  to  our  right,  his 
flankers  coming  in  collision  with  a  small  force  of  our  men 
at  Signal  Hill,  a  portion  of  New  Market  Heights,  within 
musket  shot  of  the  works  which  Birney  carried  on  the  29th 
of  September.  So  much  further,  however,  did  that  division 
have  to  march  than  the  division  of  General  Fields,  that  by 


SECOND    MOVEMENT    ON    DEEP    BOTTOM.  269 

the  time  it  came  into  a  position  to  attack,  Fields  had  been 
thoroughly  whipped,  and  it  was  deemed  prudent  not  to 
renew  the  attack  with  another  division,  alone  and  without 
reserves.  Hence  the  entire  force  retreated  slowly,  and  by 
night  such  of  our  cavalry  as  could  be  collected  were  back 
in  the  position  it  occupied  that  morning. 

"Our  entire  loss  was  not  greater  than  five  hundred,  while 
that  of  the  enemy  was  estimated  at  one  thousand,  which 
figure  it  probably  reached.  Among  the  latter  were  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  prisoners.  The  Richmond  papers 
claim  the  capture  of  over  two  hundred  horses." 

This  action  is  also  thus  described  by  Thomas  M.  Cook, 
Esq.,  one  of  the  ablest  of  the  corps  of  correspondents  of 
the  New  York  Herald : — 

"  Hoke's  division  of  rebel  infantry,  consisting  of  four 
brigades,  moved  out  of  Richmond  at  an  early  hour  last 
evening  on  York  river  turnpike.  Fields'  division,  of  equal 
strength  with  Hoke's,  moved  out  from  the  rebel  line  of 
works  immediately  beyond  the  right  of  our  infantry  line 
and  advanced  down  the  Central  road. 

"Kautz's  men  were  put  to  confusion  and  broke  in  the 
wildest  disorder.  At  the  same  time  the  announcement  was 
received  of  Hoke's  advance,  which  increased  the  panic  and 
caused  a  disgraceful  stampede.  Men,  horses,  wagons,  etc., 
started  for  the  rear  at  a  fearful  pace. 

"  The  artillery  alone  maintained  its  position,  courageously 
fighting  against  the  fearful  odds  opposed  to  it.  The  guns 
were  served  very  rapidly  and  handled  efficiently;  but  the 
rebels  advanced  steadily  upon  them  until  within  forty  feet, 
when  the  artillerists  mounted  their  horses,  cut  traces,  and 


270  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

started  after  the  cavalry.  A  single  regiment  of  mounted 
men,  Colonel  Sumner's  New  York  mounted  rifles,  remained 
upon  the  field,  until  the  artillery  withdrew. 

"During  the  early  morning  General  Birney  was  busily 
engaged  forming  his  troops  to  receive  the  onset  of  the 
rebels.  During  the  previous  day  and  throughout  .the  night 
he  had  been  suffering  from  a  malarious  fever,  and  was  so 
seriously  ill  as  to  have  placed  himself  in  care  of  a  physi 
cian,  the  medical  director  of  his  corps;  but  when  the  alarm 
was  sounded  to  battle  he  was  up  and  in  his  saddle,  despite 
the  remonstrances  of  his  medical  adviser,  and  throughout 
the  day  remained  with  his  troops,  though  during  the  after 
noon  he  was  compelled  to  leave  his  saddle  and  accept  a 
more  comfortable  means  of  locomotion  in  an  ambulance. 

"  Terry's  division  was  assigned  the  post  of  honor  for  the 
day,  it  being  formed  on  a  line  at  right  angles  with  our 
main  line,  stretching  along  parallel  with  the  New  Market 
road,  about  five  hundred  yards  north  of  that  thoroughfare. 
The  right  of  this  line  was  in  deep  woods  and  partially 
strengthened  with  rude  and  hastily  constructed  rifle-pits. 
The  left  stretched  across  an  open  field  and  occupied  strong 
works  that  had  been  constructed  previous  to  this  affair. 
In  these  works  Lieutenant-colonel  Jackson,  Chief  of  Artil 
lery,  had  placed  four  batteries  of  six  guns  each.  From  this 
position  a  clear  view  could  be  had  of  the  fields  over  which 
the  rebels  must  pass  to  reach  the  woods,  in  which  the 
right  of  the  line  was  posted,  which  fields  were  literally 
swept  by  these  guns. 

"  The  formation  of  the  line  gave  the  third  brigade, 
Colonel  H.  M.  Plaisted,  of  the  Eleventh  Maine,  command- 


SECOND    MOVEMENT    ON    DEEP    BOTTOM.  271 

ing,  the  right;  the  second  brigade,  Colonel  Joseph  C.  Ab 
bott,  of  the  Seventh  New  Hampshire,  commanding,  the 
centre;  and,  the  first  brigade,  Colonel  F.  B.  Pond,  of  the 
Sixty-second  Ohio,  commanding,  the  left. 

"  The  rebels  in  their  previous  reconnoissances  had  disco 
vered,  as  they  supposed,  the  right  of  our  infantry  line,  and 
the  cavalry  being  stampeded,  they  now  pressed  on  in  what 
seemed  to  them  the  shortest  route  to  pass  our  right  and 
strike  in  our  rear.  The  position  held  by  the  second  and 
third  brigades  they  supposed  to  be  unoccupied,  and  so  it 
was  until  fifteen  minutes  before  the  attack  came;  in  this 
course,  therefore,  they  headed. 

"At  ten  o'clock  they  commenced  their  movement,  and  at 
the  same  moment  our  formidable  array  of  artillery  opened 
upon  them,  enfilading  them  more  and  more  perfectly  as 
they  advanced,  and  doing  great  execution.  They  brought 
out  two  batteries  into  a  little  point  of  woods  opposite  the 
position  of  our  guns  and  attempted  to  silence  our  deadly 
fire;  but  Colonel  Jackson  met  this  attempt  by  planting  a 
couple  of  rifle  batteries  in  the  rear  of  the  main  line,  which, 
firing  over  the  others,  did  good  execution  upon  the  rebel 
batteries,  causing  one  of  them  to  limber  up  and  get  out  of 
the  way  in  a  hurry,  its  horses  being  so  badly  used  up  that 
it  became  necessary  to  drag  the  pieces  away  by  hand.  In 
the  meantime  the  fire  upon  the  advancing  rebel  line  of 
battle  was  not  slackened,  nor  was  its  execution  less  fearful. 
But  still  the  rebels  pressed  on,  and  were  soon  in  the 
woods,  beyond  range  of  our  artillery. 

"  The  main  attack  fell  upon  the  second,  or  central 
brigade,  the  brigades  on  either  flank  being  lightly  engaged. 


272  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

The  second  is  about  half  armed  with  Spencer's  repeating 
carbines,  and  had  a  strong  skirmish  line,  composed  wholly 
of  men  with  this  weapon,  thrown  well  out  to  the  front. 
These  lay  concealed  behind  a  thicket  of  underbrush  until 
the  enemy  was  in  close  range;  then  suddenly  rising  they 
poured  volley  after  volley  with  great  steadiness  into  the 
rebel  lines,  causing  a  momentary  halt.  But  again  the  line 
advanced,  and  our  skirmishers,  having  exhausted  their  car 
bines,  steadily  gave  way  to  the  rear,  and  uncovered  the 
main  line  of  battle.  Here  were  more  carbineers,  and  more 
men  who  understood  using  this  terribly  destructive  weapon. 

"  The  action  now  became  intensely  hot.  The  woods  were 
filled  with  a  continuous  roar  of  musketry,  and  the  savage 
work  of  butchery  was  going  on  with  marked  rapidity.  Our 
men  displayed  a  steadiness  and  coolness  seldom  equalled 
and  never  surpassed. 

"The  rebels  were  obstinate  and  determined;  but,  finding 
that  they  could  not  drive  our  men  from  their  position, 
finally  gave  way  and  retired  in  confusion.  The  battle  had 
lasted  about  half  an  hour,  but  during  that  short  space  of 
time  over  one  thousand  of  the  rebels  left  their  bones  to 
enrich  the  sacred  soil. 

"Our  own  losses  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  were  a 
trifle  over  a  hundred.  It  was  the  cheapest  victory  ever 
won  on  a  battle-field. 

"The  rout  of  the  enemy  was  complete;  so  much  so  that 
their  officers  were  utterly  unable  to  rally  them  for  a  second 
charge,  thus  admitting  the  day  to  be  ours.  They  went 
back,  leaving  many  of  their  dead  and  a  number  of  their 
wounded  in  our  hands. 


SECOND    MOVEMENT    ON    DEEP    BOTTOM.  273 

"  The  result  of  the  attack  on  our  part  was  the  loss  to 
the  infantry  of  about  one  hundred  men  in  killed  and 
wounded,  mostly  of  Abbott's  brigade.  The  rebels  suffered 
very  heavily.  The  ground  is  yet  strewn  with  their  dead, 
while  numbers  of  bodies  are  known  to  have  been  taken 
back  by  them,  and  some  were  buried  on  the  field.  Besides 
this  we  captured  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  prisoners. 

"Among  their  slain  was  Brigadier-general  Gregg,  com 
manding  a  brigade  of  Fields'  division.  His  body  was 
taken  back  by  the  rebels.  We  have  rumors  of  another 
general  officer  being  killed,  but  it  is  by  no  means  certain. 
They  lost  a  number  of  field  officers,  from  colonels  down, 
leaving  some  of  the  bodies  on  the  field. 

"  The  field  in  which  our  artillery  was  posted  was  hot  be 
yond  all  description.  Nothing  could  live  on  it  uncovered 
by  the  breastworks.  The  enemy's  two  batteries  in  front 
of  the  guns  of  Fort  Gilmer,  firing  over  the  woods,  and 
some  batteries  farther  down  their  line,  all  poured  their  shot 
and  shell  in  that  direction. 

"  Our  batteries  were  terrible  sufferers.  Their  horses  were 
killed  without  stint,  and  the  losses  of  men  with  them  by 
no  means  small.  Battery  E,  of  the  Third  United  States 
artillery,  lost  three  men  killed  and  nine  wounded,  and  four 
teen  horses  killed.  Battery  D,  of  the  First  United  States, 
lost  one  killed  and  four  wounded,  and  ten  horses  killed. 
The  Fifth  New  Jersey  battery  lost  six  horses.  Battery  C, 
of  the  Third  Rhode  Island,  report  four  men  wounded  and 
five  horses  killed.  Such  heavy  losses  to  artillery  are  seldom 
known,  and  attest  the  vigorous  character  of  the  enemy's 
attack. 

35 


274  DAVID   BELL   B1RNEY. 

"  The  rout  of  the  cavalry  was  a  disgraceful  affair,  and 
came  near  costing  us  the  entire  position  on  this  side  of 
the  river.  It  fell  upon  this  corps  at  a  moment  when  our 
men  needed  to  be  fortified  with  all  their  steadiness,  cool 
ness  and  courage.  It  sent  our  trains  stampeding  to  the 
rear,  and  disorganized  all  the  non-fighting  force.  General 
Kautz  lost  ten  pieces  of  artillery,  a  very  large  number  of 
horses,  and  a  great  many  men,  all  which  will  give  the 
enemy  an  opportunity  to  claim  a  victory  and  show  the  tro 
phies  and  plunder.  Yet,  whatever  they  may  claim,  an 
attacking  party  was  never  more  handsomely  repulsed  and 
sent  back,  than  were  they  when  they  struck  Birney's  infan 
try.  Not  an  inch  did  any  of  our  men  budge  during  any 
part  of  the  fight,  but,  on  the  contrary,  gained  ground,  and 
in  the  evening  advanced  and  took  up  the  position  that  had 
been  so  shamefully  abandoned  by  the  cavalry. 

"The  enemy,  it  seems,  did  not  stop  until  the  walls  of 
Richmond  sheltered  one  of  his  divisions,  and  the  works 
along  James  river  the  other.  It  will  doubtless  be  long  ere 
he  attempts  again  to  turn  our  flank,  but  if  he  attempts  it 
he  will  make  his  calculations  of  success  on  the  concentra 
tion  of  overwhelming  numbers  to  pour  upon  us. 

"I  regret  to  say  that  this  evening  General  Birney  is 
worse.  The  excitement  and  fatigue  of  the  day  on  his  pre 
viously  exhausted  system  is  now  telling.  Still  he  will  not 
apply  for  a  leave  while  there  is  a  prospect  of  a  battle, 
but,  at  any  personal  risk,  and  disregarding  the  remon 
strances  and  appeals  of  his  friends  and  the  advice  of  his 
physicians,  will  share  with  his  troops  all  their  dangers  and 
glories." 


SICKNESS    AND    DEATH. 


HE  responsibilities  of  the  command  of  the 
new  corps,  and  the  exertion  it  demanded 
from  the  new  general,  proved  to  be  more 
than  he  could  endure.  During  the  quiet 
of  the  4th,  5th,  and  6th  of  October,  ex 
hausted  nature  had  refused  to  do  more, 
and  for  these  days  he  was  unable  to  leave 
his  tent,  being  under  the  care  of  the  medical  director  of  the 
corps.  Yet  in  spite  of  the  exhaustion  produced  by  the  com 
bined  action  of  disease  and  medicine,  Birney  did  not  fail  to 
respond  to  the  demand  made  upon  his  energies  on  Friday, 
October  7th.  When  the  intelligence  of  the  movement  of  the 
enemy  reached  him,  early  that  morning,  his  strong  will,  con 
trolling  his  physical  infirmities,  enabled  him  to  rise  from  the 
cot  in  his  tent  and  again  mount  his  favorite  horse  Eclipse. 
During  this  day  he  was  in  the  saddle  until  noon,  when  he 
was  no  longer  able  to  sit  his  horse.  He  was  then  placed 
in  an  ambulance  until  near  dusk,  when,  after  the  repulse 
of  the  enemy,  he  was  driven  to  his  headquarters,  which  he 
left  only  to  return  home,  under  the  imperative  command  of 
General  Butler,  who,  on  Monday,  October  9th,  visited  him 
and  ordered  him  home  without  delay. 

Turning  over  the  command  of  the  corps  to  General 
Terry  on  Sunday  evening,  he  left  the  scene  of  conflict  on 
Monday  morning,  the  10th,  on  the  Greyhound,  the  dispatch 

(275) 


276  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

boat  of  General  Butler,  which  was  placed  at  his  disposal. 
The  boat  reached  Baltimore  during  Monday  night.  On 
Tuesday  morning  he  telegraphed  to  the  writer  at  Philadel 
phia,  who,  by  the  courtesy  of  S.  M.  Felton,  Esq.,  then 
President  of  the  Philadelphia,  Wilmington,  and  Baltimore 
Railroad  Company,  (whose  interests  Birney  had  so  faithfully 
protected  during  the  early  days  of  the  rebellion,  when  he 
was  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Twenty-third  regiment  of  Penn 
sylvania  volunteers,)  provided  for  him  a  special  train  to  Phila 
delphia.  He  reached  Philadelphia  about  two  P.  M.,  on 
Tuesday,  the  llth  of  October,  attended  by  three  of  his 
staff,  Captains  Graves,  Noble,  and  Ford.  This  day  hap 
pened  to  be  election  day  in  Pennsylvania.  The  contest 
was  a  spirited  one,  and  its  result  was  doubtful.  On  that 
day  was  to  be  decided  whether  Governor  Curtin  should  be 
continued  in  office  three  years  longer,  or  should  surrender 
to  the  candidate  of  the  Democratic  party.  General  Birney 
was  determined  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  decide  this  ques 
tion,  and,  though  unable  to  leave  or  enter  his  carriage  with 
out  assistance,  insisted  upon  going  to  the  polls  before  going 
home.  His  vote  was  challenged,  by  one  of  the  minions 
of  the  Copperhead  ward-committee,  attending  at  the  polls 
for  the  purpose  of  throwing  out  the  ballots  of  loyal  men,  on 
technical  grounds.  The  challenge,  however,  proved  unavail 
ing,  and  the  officers  of  the  election  gladly  received  Birney 's 
vote  for  his  friend  Governor  Curtin  and  the  entire  Repub 
lican  ticket,  State,  county,  city,  and  ward.  So  great  was 
Birney's  suffering  that,  during  the  challenge  at  the  polls,  he 
was  unable  to  give  the  number  of  his  house,  which  he  had 
owned  and  lived  in  for  several  years. 


SICKNESS    AND    DEATH.  277 

The  writer  saw  him,  within  half  an  hour  after  the  scene 
at  the  polls,  in  bed,  in  his  dwelling-house,  No.  1920  Race 
street.  He  was  then  suffering  from  the  effects  of  disease, 
and  his  mind  was  dark  and  cloudy.  His  first  salutation 
was,  "Well,  I  voted,  and  have  done  all  in  my  power  to 
defeat  these  infernal  copperheads,  who  have  done  more  to 
prolong  this  rebellion  than  the  rebels.  Don't  fail  to  do 
your  duty  to-day  to  your  country.  Vote  as  I  have,  or  don't 
vote  at  all." 

"Don't  let  any  doctor  come  near  me.  I  am  not  sick;  I 
only  want  rest.  In  a  few  days  I  will  be  all  right.  Can't 
you  arrange  a  trip  to  the  country,  where  I  can  be  unob 
served  and  we  can  have  a  good  time,  without  any  fuss  or 
ceremony." 

The  writer  pacified  him  as  well  as  he  could,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  the  interview  was  interrupted  by  the  entrance 
of  Dr.  Gerhard,  who  had  for  a  long  time  been  General  Bir- 
ney's  family  physician.  He  saw  that  the  condition  of  his 
patient  was  critical,  and  lost  no  time  in  ordering  the  pre 
scriptions  which  his  skill  and  experience  suggested.  No 
pains  were  spared  by  Eirney's  family  and  friends  to  effect 
his  restoration.  On  Thursday,  after  his  return  home,  he 
seemed  to  rally,  and  until  Tuesday  morning,  October  18th, 
strong  hopes  were  entertained  of  his  recovery.  At  the  in 
stance  of  the  writer,  Dr.  John  Neill,  whose  skill  in  such 
cases  had  become  almost  proverbial,  was  called  in  to  assist 
Dr.  Gerhard,  and  both  physicians  held  out  to  the  family  and 
friends  their  confident  expectation  of  their  patient's  re 
covery. 

During   the   latter  pait  of  the  week,  Birncy's   friends  in 


278  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

Philadelphia  were  admitted  to  his  sick-room,  and  they  all 
believed  and  hoped  that,  after  a  few  days  of  quiet,  he 
would  be  able  to  return  to  his  command.  Plans  for  the 
future  were  discussed,  in  which  all  united,  and  a  cam 
paign  was  laid  out,  from  which  all  anticipated  much  plea 
sure.  But  all  these  castles  in  the  air  were  soon  dissolved, 
and  the  plans  were  thwarted  by  the  death  of  the  man  for 
whose  comfort  they  had  been  devised.  On  Tuesday  morn 
ing,  October  18th,  General  Birney's  symptoms  were  of  the 
most  alarming  character.  He  was  attacked  by  a  violent 
hemorrhage  of  the  bowels,  which  his  physicians  were  un 
able  to  check,  and  it  soon  became  manifest  to  them  that 
the  end  was  near  at  hand.  But  they  concealed  their  appre 
hensions  from  the  family  and  friends,  who,  until  an  hour 
previous  to  his  death,  believed  that  the  skill  of  the  physi 
cians  would  conquer  the  disease.  During  Tuesday  General 
Birncy  was  delirious,  and  a  few  incoherent  expressions  he 
uttered  showed  that  his  mind,  in  its  wanderings,  was  bent 
upon  military  movements.  Few  of  his  sentences  could  be 
understood.  About  noon  he  rose  in  his  bed  and  said: 
"  Boys,  the  road  through  the  woods  will  soon  be  completed; 
we  must  move  on  it  cautiously,  and  make  an  attack  on  the 
flank."  Later  in  the  day  he  called  to  his  body-servant  and 
said:  "John,  tell  the  staff  to  get  ready.  I'm  going  now." 
About  an  hour  before  he  died  he  straightened  himself  up 
and,  with  a  significant  gesture,  said :  "  Keep  your  eyes  on 
that  flag,  boys!"  He  then  fell  back,  and  never  spoke 
afterwards  words  which  could  be  understood. 

About    eight    o'clock    in    the    evening   a   number   of    his 
friends  had  collected   in  the   parlor,  having  come   to  ascer- 


SICKNESS    AND    DEATH.  279 

tain  his  condition.  They  knew  that  the  night  before  he 
was  improving,  and  were  not  prepared  for  the  change  that 
had  taken  place  during  the  day.  While  they  were  assem 
bling,  the  writer  was  summoned  to  the  scene  up -stairs, 
where  he  saw  his  friend  in  the  agonies  of  death,  sur 
rounded  by  his  wife  and  little  children,  who  by  this  dispen 
sation  were  deprived  of  their  noble  and  generous  -  hearted 
protector. 

In  a  few  moments  his  spirit  had  fled ;  "  the  silver  cord 
was  loosed,  the  golden  bowl  was  broken,"  and  David  B. 
Birncy  had  yielded  up  his  spirit  as  a  sacrifice  upon  the 
altar  of  his  country.  It  was  not  his  lot  to  die  on  the  field, 
pierced  by  a  rebel  bullet.  He  had  passed  through  the 
ordeal  of  war  for  three  years  and  a  half  without  receiv 
ing  a  severe  wound,  and  had  almost  begun  to  believe 
that  he  bore  a  charmed  life,  and  would  live  to  see  the  day 
when  his  country,  reunited,  partially  by  his  own  efforts, 
would  emerge  from  the  furnace  of  the  rebellion  strong, 
prosperous,  and  happy.  But  he  counted  in  vain.  Though 
he  had  penetrated  almost  within  rifle-shot  of  the  capitol  at 
Richmond,  it  was  not  his  privilege  to  march  into  the  doomed 
city,  at  the  head  of  his  column.  He  saw  the  result  of  his 
fidelity  to  his  country,  and  that  of  those  brave  men  who 
had  fought  under  him,  only  from  the  spirit  land.  By  his 
last  words  he  proved  that,  though  compelled  to  lay  by  his 
sword,  his  heart  was  still  in  the  cause  for  which  he  had 
made  so  many  sacrifices.  Never  doubting  that  the  old  flag 
would  again  wave  in  its  splendor  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific, 
on  his  death-bed  he,  in  his  delirium,  exhorted  his  men  to 


280  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

keep  their  eyes  upon  it.  Let  all  obey  his  injunction,  and, 
keeping  our  eyes  on  the  flag,  resolve  that  it  shall  never  be 
trailed  in  the  dust,  so  long  as  we  have  strength  to  keep  it 
flying  over  every  foot  of  territory  of  the  United  States  of 
America. 

General  Birney's  death  created  a  profound  sensation  in 
the  city  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  army,  and  throughout  the 
country. 

On  Wednesday,  October  19th,  the  press  of  Philadelphia 
announced  the  sad  event  in  the  following  language,  which 
is  quoted  to  show  the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  in 
his  adopted  city.  The  editor  of  the  North  American  and 
United  States  Gazette  wrote  as  follows  during  the  night  of 
Birney's  death: — 

"DEATH  OF  GENERAL  DAVID  B.  BIRNEY. — We  regret  to 
announce  the  death,  last  evening,  at  his  residence  in  this 
city,  of  malarious  fever,  of  the  intrepid  Major-general  David 
B.  Birney,  the  veteran  commander  of  the  Tenth  Army  Corps 
of  the  United  States.  His  career  in  this  war  was  one 
fraught  with  honor  to  himself  and  his  country,  and  there 
will  be  a  voice  of  sincere  mourning  for  him  wherever  there 
is  a  patriotic  heart  in  this  republic.  He  was  the  son  of 
the  celebrated  James  G.  Birney,  the  well-known  candidate  of 
the  Liberty  party  for  the  Presidency  of  the  United  States. 
His  father  was  originally  a  Southern  planter  and  a  large 
slaveholder,  but,  becoming  convinced  of  the  wrongfulness 
of  slavery,  he  freed  his  slaves,  and  removed  to  a  Northern 
State  ********* 

"The   volunteer   officers    of   this  war    have    produced   no 


SICKNESS    AND    DEATH.  281 

nobler  specimen  of  the  soldier  than  Major-general  David  B. 
Birney.  His  name  is  identified  with  nearly  every  battle  in 
which  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  has  been  engaged.  His 
modesty  long  caused  him  to  be  overslaughed  in  the  com 
mand  of  a  corps,  which  he  had  fairly  won,  but  at  length 
he  reached  his  true  position,  and  commanded  the  Tenth 
Army  Corps  in  all  the  late  operations  on  the  James  river. 
He  passed  through  a  thousand  perils  from  bullet  and  shell 
to  fall  a  victim  at  last  to  the  malaria  which  has  swept 
away  so  many  of  our  gallant  men.  In  him  Philadelphia 
loses  a  son  of  whom  she  has  reason  to  feel  proud.  He 
leaves  a  widow  and  family." 

On  October  20th,  the  editor  of  the  Philadelphia  Inquirer 
wrote  as  follows  : — 

"!N  MEMORY  OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  DAVID  BELL  BIRNEY. — 
On  Tuesday  night  last,  October  18th,  Major-general  Birney, 
commanding  the  Tenth  Corps  of  the  Army  of  the  United 
States,  died  in  this  city,  of  a  malarious  fever,  with  which 
he  was  attacked  during  his  recent  active  and  arduous  ser 
vice  in  front  of  Richmond.  This  mournful  event  was  briefly 
mentioned  in  these  columns  yesterday,  but  the  high  cha 
racter  of  General  Birney,  and  the  circumstance  that  he  was 
an  honored  citizen  of  Philadelphia,  make  it  fitting  that  we 
should  pay  some  further  tribute  to  his  memory,  that  his  pa 
triotic  services  shall  be  placed  on  record  in  the  journals  of 
the  dr.y,  and  that  his  soldierly  virtues  may  be  held  up  as 
examples  to  his  compatriots  of  the  army.  * 

"In  July  last  General  Birney  was  promoted  to  the  com 
mand  of  the  Tenth  Corps,  and  on  the  13th  of  August  he 

36 


282  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

commenced  the  movements  to  the  north  of  the  James 
which,  followed  up  by  his  skillful  operations  of  the  29th  of 
September  last,  carried  our  lines  up  the  New  Market  road 
to  within  signt  of  Richmond.  Here  he  added  the  victory 
of  'New  Market  Heights'  to  his  already  proud  cluster  of 
honorable  fields;  and  here,  too,  he  was  seized  with  that 
fatal  fever  which  has  deprived  his  country  of  his  services 
forevermore.  But  he  kept  the  field,  and  when  his  lines  on 
the  Central  road  were  attacked  on  the  7th  of  October,  he 
left  his  sick  bed  to  repulse  the  rebels  who  had  scattered 
the  cavalry  of  Kautz.  General  Butler,  in  reporting  this 
battle,  says :  '  The  enemy  then  swept  down  the  intrench- 
ments  towards  Birney,  who  waited  their  assault,  and  repulsed 
it  with  heavy  loss  to  the  enemy.'  And  again — 'Birney 
took  the  offensive,  and  has  reached  and  occupies  the  iii- 
trenchments  which  the  enemy  took  from  Kautz.' 

"This,  less  than  two  weeks  ago,  was  General  Birncy's 
last  battle.  Even  while  it  was  raging  the  hand  of  death 
was  upon  him,  and  he  was  brought  home  only  to  lay  down 
the  life  he  had  devoted  to  his  country. 

"In  person  General  Birney  was  a  strikingly  handsome 
man.  He  was  tall,  straight  and  lithe,  and  of  the  pure 
Saxon  complexion.  His  face  was  remarkably  intellectual. 
His  manners  were  kind  and  courteous,  and  his  voice  was 
gentle  as  a  woman's.  Having  entered  the  service  as  a  lieu 
tenant-colonel,  he  dies  the  commander  of  a  corps  d'armec, 
at  the  age  of  thirty-nine,  esteemed  as  a  man  by  all  who 
knew  him,  and  honored  by  his  country  as  one  of  her  best 
and  noblest  soldiers." 


SICKNESS    AND    DEATH.  283 

The  Evening  Telegraph,  edited  by  a  friend  of  General 
Birney,  who  was  in  his  house  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
made  the  following  announcement  on  October  19th: — 

"MAJOR-GENERAL  DAVID  BELL  BIRNEY. — When  the  news 
spread  through  our  city  this  morning,  announcing  the  death 
of  General  Birney,  it  caused  universal  sorrow,  and  cast  a 
gloom  over  the  entire  community.  It  is  but  a  few  days 
since  we  recorded  in  our  columns  his  return  home  from  the 
army,  on  account  of  serious  illness  contracted  in  camp.  At 
the  time  it  was  not  considered  dangerous,  and  no  one 
anticipated  a  fatal  termination.  But  since  the  hour  he 
arrived  in  Philadelphia  he  gradually  became  weaker  and 
sank  away,  until  last  night,  when  his  noble  spirit  took  its 
flight,  and  his  martial  form  grew  cold  in  death. 

"General  Birney  was  a  Southerner  by  birth,  having  been 
born  in  Alabama.  His  father  was  the  celebrated  James  G. 
Birney,  a  man  noted  for  his  love  of  liberty  and  those  prin 
ciples  of  freedom  in  defence  of  which  his  gallant  son  has 
now  laid  down  his  life. 

"When  the  tocsin  of  war  was  sounded  throughout  the 
nation,  General  Birney  left  a  prosperous  business  and  gave 
himself  to  the  cause  of  his  country.  Having  long  been 
connected  with  our  citizen  soldiery,  he  was  promptly  chosen 
Lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Twenty-third  Pennsylvania  volun 
teers,  and  served  through  the  three  months'  campaign. 
Returning,  he  reorganized  the  regiment  and  went  to  the 
field  as  its  commander.  Here  he  won  the  warmest  praises 
of  his  superior  officers,  and  being  strongly  recommended, 
was  appointed  brigadier-general  of  volunteers  early  in  1862. 
As  commander  of  a  brigade,  and  of  a  division,  he  dis- 


284  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

tinguished  himself  in  almost  every  battle  fought  by  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac;  and  the  President,  appreciating 
his  gallantry  and  great  services,  in  May,  1863,  sent  him 
the  commission  of  a  major-general.  The  public  remember 
well  how  nobly  and  bravely  General  Birney  bore  himself 
in  the  terrible  battles  from  the  Wilderness  to  Petersburg. 
His  last  meeting  with  the  enemy  was  on  the  south  bank 
of  the  James  early  in  this  month,  when  he  defeated  the 
rebels,  and  sent  them  flying  into  Richmond  before  the 
impetuous  advance  of  the  Tenth  Corps,  of  which  he  but  a 
short  time  previous  had  been  appointed  commander. 

"  General  Birney's  death  will  be  heavily  felt  in  the  army, 
where  he  was  a  great  favorite  with  both  officers  and  men. 
No  nobler  spirit  has  led  our  heroic  legions  to  battle  in  this 
war  for  the  Union  than  D<ivid  Bell  Birney.  There  will  be 
many  an  eye  suffused  with  tears  among  his  brave  veterans 
when  the  sad  word  reaches  them,  '  Birney  is  dead !' 

"  Our  sympathies,  and  those  of  our  people,  are  with  them 
and  with  his  bereaved  family  and  friends.  The  nation  has 
lost  in  him  one  of  its  most  illustrious  sons,  and  Freedom 
one  of  her  most  trusty  champions." 

The  Evening  Bulletin,  which  had  always  followed  General 
Birney's  career  with  a  jealous  care  for  his  reputation,  con 
tained  the  following  editorial  the  day  after  his  death : — 

"DEATH  OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  BIRNEY. — We  recently  an 
nounced  that  Major-general  David  B.  Birney,  commanding 
the  Tenth  Corps  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  had  arrived 
in  this  city,  suffering  from  disease  contracted  while  in  ser 
vice  before  Petersburg.  We  have  now  to  state  the  melan- 


SICKNESS    AND    DEATH.  285 

choly  fact  that  he  died  last  evening,  at  his  residence  on 
Race  street.  He  was  about  thirty-nine  years  of  age,  and  had 
been  in  the  service  ever  since  the  opening  of  the  war,  He 
commanded  the  Twenty-third  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and 
from  that  position  he  was  called  to  the  wielding  of  a  brigade. 
On  the  23d  of  July  he  was  chosen  by  General  Grant  to 
lead  the  Tenth  Corps,  having  brilliantly  distinguished  him 
self  during  the  whole  of  General  Grant's  splendid  campaign 
from  the  Rapidan  to  the  south  side  of  the  James  river. 
His  career  is  now  cut  short  before  the  grand  object  of 
that  campaign  is  attained,  but  his  record  is  a  noble  one, 
in  which  every  Philadelphia!!  takes  honorable  pride. 

"  General  Birney  was  born  in  Alabama.  His  father, 
James  G.  Birney,  was  a  planter  in  that  State,  who  manu 
mitted  his  slaves  and  came  to  the  North,  and  afterwards 
was  the  abolition  candidate  for  the  presidency.  General 
Birney  was  engaged  in  practising  law  in  this  city  up 
to  the  opening  of  the  war,  and  only  relinquished  active 
civic  business  at  the  stern  call  of  patriotism.  His  memory 
will  be  forever  honored  in  connection  with  the  rest  of  the 
noble  host  who  have  laid  down  their  lives  for  freedom  and 
the  Union." 

The  press  of  New  York  united  with  the  press  of  Phila 
delphia  in  lamenting  the  death  of  a  man  who  had  earned 
a  national  reputation.  The  New  York  Herald,  of  October 
20th,  contained  the  following  : — 

"  MAJOR-GENERAL  DAVID  BELL  BIRNEY. — The  country  is 
again  called  upon  to  mourn  the  death  of  another  of  its 
distinguished  heroes.  Major-general  D.  B.  Birney  died  at 


286  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

his  residence,  1920  Race  street,  Philadelphia,  on  the  even 
ing  of  the  19th  instant,  of  fever  contracted  in  the  arduous 
campaign  against  Richmond. 

"David  Bell  Birney  was  born  in  Huntsville,  Alabama, 
on  the  29th  day  of  May,  1825.  He  was  the  son  of  the 
Hon.  James  G.  Birney,  at  one  time  the  anti-slavery  candi 
date  for  the  Presidency,  and  a  gentleman  of  prominence 
in  the  liberal  party  of  his  State.  When  quite  young  the 
subject  of  the  present  sketch  removed  with  his  father  to 
Cincinnati,  Ohio.  He  originally  studied  law,  but  instead 
of  entering  immediately  into  practice  engaged  in  mercantile 
pursuits.  For  several  years  he  remained  in  the  West, 
and  in  1848  made  his  home  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession.  After 
the  first  call  for  troops,  upon  the  outbreak  of  the  present 
war,  Mr.  Birney  busily  engaged  in  the  recruitment  of  the 
Twenty-third  regiment  of  Pennsylvania  volunteers  for  three 
months,  and  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel.  *  *  * 

"As  a  companion  and  friend  he  was  ever  affable,  polite 
and  sociable.  A  strict  disciplinarian,  he  was  yet  accessible 
to  the  humblest  private  in  his  command,  who  could  ap 
proach  him  with  an  assurance  of  a  patient  hearing  and  a 
just  determination  of  his  suit.  He  was  generous  as  he 
was  brave,  and,  with  firm  Christian  principles,  always 
approved  himself  an  honest  and  a  noble  man. 

"  In  the  present  campaign  against  Richmond  it  was  his 
misfortune  to  find  his  encampment  among  the  malarious 
marshes  of  the  famous  Chickahominy.  Here,  after  driving 
the  rebels  into  the  very  gates  of  the  rebel  capital,  achiev 
ing  a  series  of  victories  that  had  promised  not  only  to 


SICKNESS    AND    DEATH.  287 

make  his  name  famous  in  history,  but  to  give  him  a  more 
extended  field  of  usefulness  in  the  immediate  present,  he 
contracted  the  fatal  disease  that  caused  his  death.  The 
malaria  had  affected  him  so  seriously  as  to  demand  medi 
cal  assistance,  and  a  course  of  treatment  had  been  com 
menced  that  promised,  with  a  few  days  of  quiet  and  repose, 
a  full  restoration  to  health,  when,  on  the  morning  of  the 
7th  instant,  the  rebels  made  their  desperate  attempt  to 
turn  our  right  flank.  Contrary  to  the  advice  of  his  phy 
sicians,  and  despite  the  earnest  remonstrances  of  his  friends, 
Birney  mounted  his  horse  at  daylight,  and,  amid  an  unsur 
passed  storm  of  bullets  and  shell,  from  which  he  was 
miraculously  delivered  unhurt,  he  directed  every  movement 
of  his  gallant  command.  But  the  exertion,  added  to  the 
weakening  effect  of  his  medicine,  was  too  much  for  him. 
At  midday  he  was  compelled  to  call  an  ambulance,  and, 
reclining  in  such  a  conveyance,  he  continued  in  the  field 
until  night.  The  prostration  that  followed  baffled  the  skill 
of  the  best  physicians.  On  the  following  day  he  reluctantly 
consented  to  apply  for  a  leave  of  absence  from  the  field, 
provided  the  medical  director  would  give  him  a  certificate 
of  disability  that  would  not  appear  to  be  based  upon  a 
childish  complaint.  On  the  morning  of  the  9th  instant 
he  left  for  his  home  in  Philadelphia,  promising  to  return 
within  ten  days.  The  passage  home  increased  his  malady, 
and  on  arriving  in  Philadelphia  he  had  barely  sufficient 
strength  left  to  alight  from  his  carriage  at  the  polls  of 
the  ward  in  which  he  resided,  and  deposit  his  ballot  for 
the  Union  candidates.  Such  was  his  last  public  act.  From 
that  day  he  sunk  gradually  but  steadily,  despite  all  the 


288  DAVID     BELL    BIRNEY. 

careful  nursing  of  an  affectionate  wife,  the  comforts  of 
home,  and  the  skill  and  unremitting  attentions  of  his  family 
physicians,  and  finally  quietly  expired  late  in  the  evening 
of  the  18th. 

"It  is  expected  that  his  funeral  will  be  attended  from  his 
late  residence  in  Philadelphia  to-morrow,  though  the  precise 
hour  has  not  yet  been  named." 

The  first  number  of  the  New  York  Ledger,  published 
afLer  the  death  of  General  Birney,  contained  the  following 
article  by  "  Fanny  Fern,"  who,  shortly  before  his  death,  had 
paid  General  Birney  a  visit  at  his  headquarters : — 

"  THE  LATE  GENERAL  BIRNEY. — General  Birney  dead  I  It 
seems  but  yesterday  that  I  spent  that  lovely  autumn  day  at 
his  encampment,  and  rode  with  him  to  the  lines  to  see  the 
shells  thrown  into  Petersburg.  But  yesterday  I  dined  with 
him,  and  laughed  and  chatted  merrily  while  the  band  played 
outside,  and  sat  afterwards  at  the  door  of  his  tent  in  more 
serious  mood,  hearing  from  his  own  lips  incidents  of  the 
war.  But  yesterday  that  he  there  put  in  my  hands  a  pho 
tograph  album,  and  with  beaming  eyes  pointed  to  the  pic 
tures  of  his  wife  and  children,  and  spoke  gaily  of  a  visit 
from  the  former  during  the  winter.  Looking  at  those  sweet 
faces  even  then  I  shuddered  and  said  softly  to  myself — per 
haps  !  But  as  I  listened  to  the  merry  laugh  of  his  eldest 
boy,  who  was  darling  hither  and  thither,  into  one  tent  and 
out  another,  with  his  face  so  full  of  sunshine,  it  was  impos 
sible  not  to  catch  some  of  it.  I  see  General  Birney  now, 
as  we  rode  away,  standing  in  the  glow  of  that  gorgeous 
sunset,  with  his  hat  raised,  and  the  smile  upon  lips  now 


SICKNESS    AND    DEATH.  289 

so  cold !  I  hear  the  sweet  music  of  the  band  upon  the 
green.  I  see  the  groups  of  convalescent  soldiers  just  come 
back .  from  the  hospitals  standing  about  their  general,  who 
was  so  land  to  them  and  so  thoughtful  of  them.  Alas ! 
the  longer  I  live  the  more  I  fear  to  utter  that  little  word 
'  Good-bye.'  That  bridge  between  this  world  and  the  next 
which  one  may  never  again  cross.  But  of  that  desolate 
home  in  Philadelphia  who  shall  speak?  Those  sweet  pic 
tured  faces  come  before  me  with  the  smiles  faded  out  and 
the  eyes  misty  with  tears.  The  boy's  ringing  'papa,'  as  he 
bounded  from  his  side  that  glorious  bright  day,  makes  my 
heart  ache  to  remember.  God  send  our  country  its  equiva 
lent  for  the  costly  lives  laid  down  in  its  defence,  and  com 
fort  the  broken  hearts  which  are  learning,  the  land  over, 
the  stammering  lesson,  'Thy  will  be  done.' 

"  '  My  men  got  homesick  last  winter,'  said  General  Bir- 
ney  to  me,  '  so  we  got  up  a  ball  for  them.  There  •  were 
many  of  the  officers'  wives  there,  and  the  bustle  of  prepara 
tion  and  decoration  amused  and  cheered  the  poor  fellows.' 
1  But  these  awful  Virginia  roads,'  said  I,  with  sides  still 
aching  from  the  bumps  I  had  lately  received;  'these  awful 
Virginia  roads !'  '  Oh !'  said  he,  '  we  lighted  fires,  all  along, 
but  notwithstanding  there  were  shrill  cries  of  distress  from 
some  of  the  pitfalls !  However,  all  went  very  merrily,  and 
I  congratulate  myself  that  I  made  my  men  happy  for 
a  while  at  least.'  For  the  same  reason  he  had  beautified 
the  encampment  where  we  found  him.  All  the  tents  were 
ranged  in  the  form  of  a  circle,  his  own  opposite  the  en 
trance.  Each  tent  was  perfectly  covered  with  green  boughs, 
which  hung  over  it  like  a  green  curtain,  leaving  only  room 

37 


290  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

to  enter.  The  ground  in  the  midst  was  graded  off  in  the 
most  careful  manner,  and  recently  sown  with  oats,  that  late 
in  the  season  it  might  look  green  and  pleasant;  while  a 
nicely  gravelled  path  led  through  it  from  the  general's  tent 
to  the  entrance  gate-posts,  where  was  planted  a  flag-staff, 
surmounted  by  one  of  the  enemy's  shells.  Nothing  could 
exceed  the  neatness  and  beauty  of  the  whole  arrangement. 
But  more  beautiful  still  was  the  motive  which  prompted  it 
all — '  to  make  things  look  home-like  for  the  men.'  No 
wonder  '  the  men '  fight  well  under  such  officers.  I  felt  con 
stantly,  while  with  General  Birney,  how  it  could  be  that, 
in  his  sympathetic,  magnetic  atmosphere,  those  immediately 
connected  with  him  could  say,  as  they  did,  to  me,  'We 
would  any  of  us  gladly  die  for  him.' 

"  How  different  from  those  generals  to  whom  '  their  men ' 
are  but  so  many  machines  or  automatons,  wound  up  to 
work  out  their  will;  who  never  think  that  tJtey,  too,  have 
homes  and  wives,  and  children,  of  whom  they  think,  in  the 
dreary  days  and  nights,  till  the  homesick  longing  to  look 
upon  them  seems  to  dwarf  every  other  thought. 

"  Oh,  it  is  a  great  thing  for  a  successful  general  to  keep 
his  heart  warm  in  his  breast,  electrically  responsive  to  the 
joys  and  sorrows  and  needs  of  those  subordinate  to  him. 
Woman  as  I  am,  I  know  I  could  fight,  undaunted,  a 
thousand  battles,  if  I  lived  so  long,  with  such  a  general 
as  that." 

The  Army  and  Navy  Journal,  of  October  22d,  noticed  the 
death  of  General  Birney  in  the  following  article : — 

"MAJOR-GENERAL   D.   B.   BIRNEY,   the    commander   of   the 


SICKNESS    AND    DEATH.  291 

Tenth  Army  Corps,  died  at  his  residence  in  Philadelphia, 
on  the  18th  inst.  He  had  but  a  few  days  previously  come 
up  from  the  army,  his  health  seriously  impaired  by  the 
effects  of  a  malarious  climate,  and  it  was  hoped  that  rest 
and  a  more  salubrious  air  would  restore  him  to  health  and 
duty.  But  death  came  speedily.  ******** 
"  Of  General  Birney's  record  during  this  last  campaign,  it 
is  not  necessary  to  speak  other  than  generally.  His  name, 
as  his  position,  has  been  a  conspicuous  one,  and  he  has  on 
all  fields  won  reputation  as  an  industrious,  efficient  officer, 
ambitious  of  distinction  in  his  profession,  and  willing  to 
sacrifice  health  and  ease  in  the  cause  of  the  country." 


THE    FTINEKAL. 


HE  Councils  of  Philadelphia,  immediately 
after  General  Birney's  death,  passed 
unanimously  a  joint  resolution,  tender 
ing  to  the  family  the  use  of  Indepen 
dence  Hall,  so  that  the  remains  might 
lie  in  state.  But,  while  grateful  for 
this  offer,  it  was  declined,  because  the 

family  intended  that  the  funeral  should  be  conducted  in 
the  most  simple  manner.  It  was  determined  that  the 
remains  should  be  removed  directly  from  the  house  to 
Woodlands  Cemetery  without  display  or  ceremony,  and 
Friday,  October  21st,  at  two  o'clock,  P.  M.,  was  the 
time  selected.  It  was  found,  however,  impossible  to  make 
the  funeral  a  private  one.  The  numerous  organizations, 
civil  and  military,  of  which  General  Birney  had  been  a 
member,  wished  to  participate  in  doing  honor  to  his  mem 
ory,  and  General  Cadwalader,  who  was  in  command  at 
Philadelphia,  desired  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  pay  proper 
military  honors  to  the  memory  of  his  deceased  friend. 
Yielding  to  these  requests,  prompted  as  they  were  by  feel 
ings  which  do  honor  to  human  nature,  General  Birney's 
family  and  immediate  friends  consented  to  a  funeral,  which 
(202) 


TilE    FUNERAL.  293 

proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  solemn  and  impressive  ever 
witnessed  in  Philadelphia. 

Before  the  time  fixed  the  writer  was  in  attendance  at 
the  house,  and  by  one  o'clock,  P.  M.,  an  hour  before  the 
time  announced  for  the  ceremonies,  the  crowd  was  so  great 
that  he  was  compelled  to  send  to  the  nearest  police-station 
for  policemen  to  preserve  order  and  keep  the  street  clear. 
They  soon  arrived  and  did  their  duty  efficiently.  Observing 
in  the  crowd  a  number  of  soldiers  wearing  the  "  red  dia 
mond,"  many  of  whom  were  on  crutches,  and  all  of  whom 
were  evidently  inmates  of  hospitals,  the  writer  approached 
them  and  ascertained  that  they  had  obtained  leaves  of 
absence  for  the  day,  from  the  various  hospitals  around 
Philadelphia,  to  attend  the  funeral;  but,  being  unable  to 
march  in  the  procession,  they  had  come  to  the  house 
before  the  time  fixed  for  the  ceremonies,  hoping  to  be  able 
to  see  the  remains  of  their  general.  They  were  at  once 
admitted,  and  such  a  scene  as  transpired  in  that  parlor 
the  writer  had  never  witnessed  before  and  hopes  he  may 
never  again.  These  soldiers,  wearing  the  "red  patch," 
disfigured  and  maimed  for  life,  surrounded  the  coffin  and 
wept  like  children.  Their  grief  was  sincere,  and  its  mani 
festation  far  exceeded  the  testimonials  of  respect  which 
were  shown  to  the  deceased  later  in  the  afternoon. 
Quietly  and  sorrowfully  this  band  of  men,  who  all  bore 
permanent  marks  of  their  encounters  with  the  enemy,  left 
the  house  to  give  place  to  the  funeral  ceremonies. 

These  ceremonies  began  an  hour  later  than  the  time 
announced  by  the  press.  This  delay  was  occasioned  by  the 
desire  of  the  family  to  await  the  arrival  of  a  brother  and 


294  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

several  of  the  staff  of  the  deceased  general,  who  it  was 
known  had  left  Washington  in  the  early  train  of  that 
morning.  Owing  to  its  detention  they  did  not  arrive 
until  three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  when  the  ceremonies  commenced. 
After  an  impressive  address  by  the  Rev.  Henry  A.  Board- 
man,  D.  D.,  the  procession  moved  along  the  route  pre 
scribed,  on  which  thousands  had  congregated.  At  Thirty- 
ninth  and  Market  streets  the  procession  halted,  and  the 
coffin  was  borne  by  soldiers  thence,  to  the  grave  in  Wood 
lands  Cemetery.  As  they  passed  under  the  canopy  of 
trees,  whose  autumn  leaves  were  blazing  in  the  setting 
sun,  the  scene  was  indelibly  impressed  upon  the  memory 
of  all  who  witnessed  it.  At  the  grave  all  the  civic 
and  military  honors  due  the  rank  of  the  deceased  were 
observed  in  due  form.  His  masonic  brethren  paid  their 
last  tribute  of  respect,  and,  after  the  carriages  had  left  the 
cemetery,  the  firing  party  performed  their  duty,  solemnly 
and  impressively.  This  accomplished,  they  returned  to  the 
gates  of  the  cemetery  to  rejoin  the  military  escort,  while 
the  writer  remained  at  the  grave  until  the  grave-diggers 
had  thrown  in  the  fresh  earth.  When  the  firing  party 
reached  the  gates  the  bands  of  the  military  escort,  forget 
ting  the  funeral  dirges  they  had  played  during  the  after 
noon,  broke  with  one  consent  into  the  inspiring  air  of 
"Rally  Round  the  Flag,  Boys,"  and  in  this  they  were 
joined  by  the  voices  of  the  soldiers,  numbering  about  two 
thousand  men.  As  the  wind  bore  these  strains  over  the 
new-made  grave,  after  that  autumn  sunset,  the  effect  was 
sublime,  and  never  to  be  forgotten  by  those  who  were 
present. 


THE    FUNERAL.  295 

The  funeral  sendees  were  thus  noticed  in  the  Evening 
Telegraph  of  October  21st: 

"  OBSEQUIES  OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  D.  B.  BIRNEY. — The  city 
yesterday  had  quite  a  mournful  appearance.  All  the  flags 
were  at  half-mast,  and  the  shutters  of  many  of  the  houses 
in  the  neighborhood  of  General  Birney's  residence,  and 
along  the  line  of  procession,  were  closed  in  honor  of  the 
funeral  of  Major-general  Birney. 

"At  two  o'clock,  according  to  notice,  the  house  was 
opened,  and  a  great  rush  of  citizens  and  soldiers  followed. 
All  were  anxious  to  see  the  body  of  the  General.  Arrange 
ments  were  made  by  which  the  great  stream  of  people 
was  kept  in  motion,  and  the  crowd  admitted  at  the  front 
door  were  permitted  to  retire  through  the  back. 

"The  body  of  the  General  was  dressed  in  full  major- 
general's  uniform.  On  his  breast  was  a  cross  of  japonicas, 
and  at  his  feet  a  wreath  of  the  same  flowers.  The  coffin 
was  covered  with  a  black  cloth,  and  mounted  with  silver. 
On  a  silver  plate  on  the  lid  was  the  following  inscription: 

DAVID  BELL  BIRNEY, 
Major-general  United  States  Volunteers, 

Born  May  29,  1825. 
Died  October  18,  1864. 

"  The  officers  under  General  Birney,  his  staff,  and  some 
private  soldiers  then  took  a  last,  lingering  look  at  all  that 
remained  of  their  loved  General.  The  wife  and  family 
of  the  deceased  then  took  leave  of  the  cherished  husband 
and  tender  parent. 


296  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

"After  quiet  had  been  restored,  and  the  door  closed,  Eev. 
H.  A.  Boardman,  D.  D.,  of  whose  church  the  deceased 
was  a  member,  read  a  number  of  appropriate  selections 
from  the  Scriptures,  and  delivered  the  following  address: 

"  There  is  scarcely  any  word  in  the  human  language  so 
significant  of  evil  as  the  brief  monosyllable,  war.  It  em 
braces  almost  every  form  of  natural  evil,  and  almost  every 
type  of  moral  evil.  In  its  ghastly  train  are  poverty, 
famine,  pestilence,  sickness,  wounds,  death,  widowhood 
and  orphanage,  the  black  pall  and  the  grave.  Mingled 
with  these  forms  of  natural  evil  are  infidelity,  atheism, 
profancness,  licentiousness,  and  rupture  of  social  and  civil 
ties.  The  war  in  which  we  are  engaged  has  a  bad  pre 
eminence  over  all  the  wars  recorded  in  history.  It  is  a 
war  against  wise  and  beneficent  institutions,  begun  amidst 
general  and  unexampled  prosperity,  amongst  brethren  hav 
ing  a  common  ancestry  and  a  common  heritage,  bound 
together  by  the  strongest  civil,  commercial,  historical,  and 
religious  ties  that  ever  bound  a  people.  It  is  also  amongst 
Christians  worshipping  the  same  God;  more  sacred  and  in 
dissoluble  ties  never  bound  together  any  people. 

"  Here  in  this  house  to-day  we  are  in  a  position  to  see 
the  criminality  of  war.  This  whole  city  gives  itself  up  to 
day  to  mourning.  The  aged  and  the  young,  the  soldier  and 
the  citizen,  come  here  to-day  to  testify  their  respect  for  his 
character,  gratitude  for  his  services,  and  sympathy  with  this 
stricken  household,  and  the  righteousness  of  the  struggle  in 
which  our  country  is  engaged.  It  is  right  that  it  is  so. 
It  is  meet  that  we  should  attest  our  sympathy  on  this 


TUB    FUNERAL.  297 

mournful  occasion  with  this  afflicted  family,  and  with  the  no 
ble  army  who  have  gone  to  bless  the  land.  I  have  said  that 
sorrow  attends  war.  The  occasion  before  us  is  a  mournful 
evidence  thereof.  There  are  tens  of  thousands  of  like  scenes 
all  over  the  land.  What  village  is  there  that  has  not  its 

O 

Rachels  weeping  for  their  children,  and  will  not  be  com 
forted  because  they  are  nof?  In  secluded  homes,  in  quiet 
villages,  as  well  as  in  princely  houses  of  magnificent  cities, 
may  be  seen  the  terrible  effects  of  this  accursed  rebellion. 
I  feel  that  this  is  not  the  time  nor  the  place  to  go  into  a 
review  of  General  Birncy's  life  and  services.  When  three 
and  a  half  years  ago  that  fatal  battery  was  opened  upon 
Fort  Sumter,  he,  with  thousands  of  others,  heard  it  as  a 
call  upon  him.  He  forsook  his  business  pursuits,  and  all 
his  domestic  ties,  and  gave  himself  up  to  the  service  of 
our  country.  He  has  withheld  himself  from  no  exposure, 
and  has  shunned  no  dangers.  He  has  laid  all  that  was 
dear  to  him  upon  the  altar  of  his  country.  He  has 
denied  himself  the  coveted  enjoyments  of  his  home,  and 
has  only  visited  it  at  long  intervals,  and  then  only  for 
brief  periods  at  a  time.  He  gave  himself  entirely  up  to 
the  service  of  our  country.  It  will  appreciate  the  offering. 
A  man  of  indomitable  energy,  sagacity  to  read  men  and 
things,  with  a  just  ambition,  it  befell  him  to  take  a  promi 
nent  part  in  this  fatal  war.  He  participated  in  the  battles 
of  the  Peninsula,  Fair  Oaks,  Seven  Pines,  Malvern  Hill,  on 
the  bloody  heights  of  Frcdericksburg,  in  the  impenetrable 
wilderness  of  Chancellorsville,  and  on  the  well-fought  field 
of  Gettysburg — wherever  there  was  danger  he  was  there : 
before  Petersburg,  south  of  it,  north  of  it,  until  that 

38 


298  DAVID    BELL    BIKNEY. 

battle,  under  his  direction,  a  few  months  ago,  in  which 
he  led  his  men  within  the  intrenchmcnts  of  Richmond. 
Only  two  weeks  ago  to-day  he  left  a  sick  bed  against 
the  remonstrance  of  his  physician,  was  in  the  saddle  for 
ten  hours,  turned  a  defeat  into  a  glorious  victory,  and  re 
turned  to  his  tent  and  laid  himself  down— shall  I  say  to 
die?  God,  in  His  high  mercy  over  this  afflicted  family, 
was  pleased  so  to  order  that  he  came  home  to  die.  The 
last  week  of  his  life  was  spent  here  in  the  affectionate  care 
of  his  family,  under  the  guidance  of  the  most  skillful  phy 
sicians.  Neither  affection  nor  skill  could  save  him.  He 
died  from  disease  contracted  in  the  swamps  of  Virginia. 
Therefore  it  was,  nothing  could  arrest  that  fatal  malady, 
and  he  must  succumb  to  the  conqueror  that  conquers 
all.  He  fell  asleep  enjoying  the  solace  that  above  all 
things  solaces  every  man,  be  he  peasant  or  prince  —  the 
solaces  of  religion  and  peace  with  God.  God  ordered  his 
last  moments  to  be  those  of  comparative  case  and  quiet. 
While  his  disease  was  delirious,  he  was  fighting  his  battles 
over  again,  and  calling  his  men  to  fix  their  eyes  upon  the 
flag.  Do  you  wonder  that  these  young  men  who  have  been 
with  him  in  all  his  hard-fought  battles  are  here  to-day? 
His  record  is  without  a  stain.  His  services  were  greatly 
appreciated  and  honorably  rewarded.  The  crowning  honor 
of  his  military  career  was  probably  fatal  to  him.  He 
ought  to  have  returned  to  his  home  before  disease  had 
already  set  in,  but,  with  a  whole  corps  depending  upon 
him,  he  felt  that  it  was  his  duty  to  be  with  them. 

"I  need  not    dwell   on  these   things;    you   knew  him  as 
your  townsman;    it  does  not  surprise  you  that  our  city  has 


THE    FUNERAL.  299 

come  up  here  to  do  him  honor.  All  that  public  sympathy 
can  do — all  that  the  precious  consolation  of  the  gospel 
of  Christ  can  do,  is  done,  and  will  be  clone  to  temper  this 
bitter  cup.  God's  way  is  in  the  sea.  Here  is  a  man  who 
has  passed  through  thirty,  yes,  nearly  forty  great  battles, 
yet  an  ever-unseen  hand  guards  him  from  every  peril. 
Shells  flying  around  him  fall  without  injuring  him ;  thou 
sands  fall  at  his  side,  and  ten  thousand  at  his  right  hand, 
yet  he  comes  home  to  die.  Let  me  say  that  it  behooves 
us  all  to  stand  with  our  loins  girded  and  our  lamps  trimmed, 
knowing  that  there  is  a  Conqueror  who  conquers  all,  and 
the  feeblest  of  us  may  gloriously  triumph  over  the  last 
enemy,  trusting  in  that  God  who  is  mighty  over  all 
things. 

"You,  gentlemen,  soldiers,  who  interpose  your  breasts 
between  rebellion  and  ruin  and  us,  let  me  here  in  the 
presence  of  these  remains — in  the  presence  of  that  manly 
faoe  and  that  mute  voice  which  has  so  often  rung  out  on 
the  battle-field — let  me  counsel  you  to  make  your  peace 
with  God  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  To-day  we 
should  learn  another  lesson  also.  We  ought  to  learn  to 
cherish  .  more  fondly  the  beneficent  institutions  God  has 
given  us.  Here  is  something  of  what  their  maintenance 
has  cost  us.  The  precious  lives — this  shedding  of  blood. 
May  God  so  order  our  affairs  that  this  fatal  struggle  may 
be  brought  to  a  righteous,  honorable,  and  lasting  end."  *  *  * 

The  day  after  the  funeral  the  following  editorial  ap 
peared  in  the  Press,  from  the  pen  of  its  editor,  Hon.  John 
W.  Forney : — 


300  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

"THE  BURIAL  OF  A  SOLDIER  OF  FREEDOM. — When,  at  the 
beginning  of  the  war  for  the  preservation  of  the  American 
Government,  David  Bell  Birney  volunteered  his  services, 
he  had  no  doubts,  either  as  to  the  justice  or  as  to  the 
sequel  of  the  great  controversy  into  which  our  country  had 
been  precipitated;  and  when  his  sword  was  accepted  his 
heart  went  with  it.  The  career  of  this  incomparable  sol 
dier,  who  died  in  consequence  of  health  impaired  in  the 
service  of  his  country  before  he  had  reached  the  age  of 
forty,  is  a  signal  illustration  of  the  truth  that  he  who 
enters  into  a  great  fight  with  a  sincere  and  religious  belief 
in  the  morale  of  that  fight,  is  sure  to  be  remembered — 
sure  to  be  honored,  living,  and  to  be  mourned,  dead. 
Many  have  gone  into  this  struggle  for  the  preservation  of 
the  Government  Avithout  first  considering  and  weighing  the 
principles  involved  in  that  struggle,  and,  while  perilling 
their  lives,  have  allowed  themselves  rather  to  look  upon 
their  sacrifices  as  a  cold  duty.  Such  as  these,  however, 
have  themselves  only  to  blame  if  their  deeds  are  not  in 
delibly  impressed  upon  the  popular  heart  and  forever  cher 
ished  in  the  popular  memory.  Major-general  Birney  was 
not  only  a  soldier  of  freedom,  but  a  soldier  of  conscience. 
He  fought  for  his  country,  not  simply  because  he  had  the 
allegiance  which  we  all  owe  to  it,  but  he  fought  for  it 
because  he  loved  it,  and  because,  above  the  mere  matter 
of  duty  and  obedience,  he  entertained  the  higher  principle, 
intense  and  passionate  attachment  to  the  great  idea  that 
this  war  can  never  close  until  the  entire  institution  of 
human  slavery  is  extirpated. 

''There   was    something   in   the    character   of    this   young 


THE    FUNERAL.  301 

general  peculiarly  fascinating.  The  writer  of  this  article 
does  not  remember  ever  having  met  him,  although  it  was 
our  fortune,  on  more  than  one  occasion,  to  assist  his  friends, 
and  to  stand  between  him  and  unjust  antagonism.  But  no 
man  could  have  been  supported  as  Birney  was  supported  if 
he  had  not  been  a  chivalric,  an  unselfish,  and  fearless 
patriot.  It  is  related  that  one  of  the  last  acts  of  his  life 
was  to  vote  the  Unconditional  Union  ticket  in  the  Tenth 
Ward  of  this  city,  on  the  llth  of  October,  just  as  he  was  re 
turning  home,  utterly  debilitated,  from  the  Army  of  the  James. 
"There  is  in  this  single  act  a  text  and  a  teaching  far 
more  eloquent  than  poetry  or  prose,  and  he,  doubtless 
impressed  with  the  belief  that  the  seeds  of  death  were 
gnawing  at  his  heart,  felt  that  in  the  enjoyment  of  this 
last  and  most  precious  privilege  of  human  freedom  he  was 
proving,  by  his  contribution  to  the  civil  power  of  his 
Government,  the  sincerity  of  his  devotion  in  the  tented 
field.  His  remains  were  yesterday  followed  to  the  cemetery 
in  which  they  are  now  entombed  by  such  a  cortege  of 
soldiers  and  citizens  as  will  long  be  remembered.  The 
highest  dignitaries  of  the  State  came  forth  to  honor  him. 
The  Governor  of  Pennsylvania  showed  by  his  presence  how 
earnestly  he  appreciated  his  great  qualities,  and  in  the  long 
line  that  accompanied  the  hearse  to  that  mausoleum  which 
shall  hereafter  be  a  shrine  for  patriotic  citizens  to  worship 
at,  came  General  Sickles — the  superior  of  General  Birney 
in  more  than  one  bloody  battle — testifying  by  his  presence 
with  his  mutilated  body,  his  sense  of  the  high  and  soldierly 
ability  that  distinguished  the  lamented  deceased,  and  how 
profoundly  he  mourned  the  loss  of  a  brother-soldier. 


302  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

"  There  is  something  in  the  life  and  death  of  such  a  man 
as  Birney  singularly  calculated  to  awaken  the  sensibilities 
of  the  dullest.  It  rekindles  the  fire  of  the  men  who  are 
in'  the  army,  and  lights  a  spark  of  patriotism  in  the  bosoms 
of  those  who  are  not  in  the  army.  The  soldiers  most  suc 
cessful  in  this  great  struggle  for  freedom  are  those  who  have 
believed  in  the  justice  of  our  cause.  The  only  defeated  men 
have  been  those  who  have  hesitated  about  the  issues  in 
volved  in  it.  Had  General  McClellan  grasped  the  baton 
of  command  in  the  profound  consciousness  that  he  was 
not  fighting  as  a  mere  martinet — that  he  was  not  called 
to  obey  the  orders  of  certain  military  chieftains,  but  that 
the  destinies  of  a  free  people  had  been  intrusted  to  his 
charge,  and  that  he  was  warring  against  slavery  in  the 
belief  that  slavery  had  begun  the  war  against  the  Union — 
he  would  not  now  be  the  candidate  of  a  party  that  de 
nounces  this  contest  for  American  freedom  as  a  failure, 
and  he  would  not  now  be  a  sort  of  potentate  of  peace, 
and  the  only  hope  of 'those  who  expect  to  defeat  and  to 
destroy  our  country.  Hooker,  Sherman,  Grant,  Farragut, 
Sheridan,  Sickles,  and  all  the  winning  men,  whether  on 
the  land  or  sea,  in  this  struggle,  have  a  religious  faith,  not 
simply  in  the  justice  of  our  cause,  but  in  its  victorious 
sequel.  We  repeat  that  no  man  has  finally  failed,  on  the 
land  or  the  sea,  who  has  really  believed  that  the  right 
is  with  us,  and  that  God  is  with  the  right.  There 
is  not  a  disgraced  general  or  a  defeated  commodore  to-day 
who  does  not  fall  back  upon  copperhead  philosophy,  and 
upon  so-called  Democratic  arguments,  for  the  purpose  of 
attacking  the  Government  that  has  retired  him.  Let  us 


THE    FUNERAL.  303 

then  honor  the  actions  of  those  who  live  in  the  belief  that 
our  cause  is  just,  and  let  us  cherish  the  memory  of  those 
who,  like  Birncy,  have  fought,  bled,  and  died  in  the  con 
sciousness  that  their  country  was  never  more  worthy  of 
their  sacrifices  than  when,  in  order  to  save  ourselves  from 
death,  she  took  up  arms  against  human  slavery." 

The  following  description  of  the  funeral  appeared  in  the 
New  York  Herald  of  October  23d,  from  the  pen  of  T.  M. 
Cook,  Esq.,  one  of  the  army  correspondents  of  that  paper, 
who  had  been  with  General  Birney  in  the  camp  and  the 
field  :— 

"  The  funeral  of  the  late  Major-general  David  B. 
Birney  was  attended  with  distinguished  honors  and  so 
lemnities,  from  his  late  residence  in  Philadelphia,  on  the 
afternoon  of  Friday. 

"The  day  will  be  long  remembered  by  every  dweller  in 
Philadelphia,  as  well  as  by  all  temporary  sojourners  in 
that  goodly  city,  because  of  the  very  general  air  of  sad 
ness  and  mourning  that  pervaded  the  entire  community. 
In  every  street,  from  public  buildings,  hotels,  private  resi 
dences,  and  all  other  conspicuous  places,  the  American  flag, 
draped  in  mourning,  and  set  at  half-mast,  was  displayed 
from  sunrise  to  sunset,  while  throughout  the  day  the  sullen 
booming  of  minute-guns  betokened  the  national  character 
of  the  grief  that  centered  in  that  locality. 

"The  funeral  services  were  appointed  to  be  held  at  the 
late  residence  of  the  distinguished  dead  at  two  o'clock, 
P.  M.  The  Select  and  Common  Councils  of  the  city,  in 
general  meeting,  on  the  previous  evening,  in  adopting 


304  DAYID    BELL    BIRNET. 

resolutions  of  condolence  with  the  immediate  family  of  the 
deceased,  had  proposed  to  make  the  funeral  a  public  affair, 
the  expenses  to  be  borne  by  the  city ;  and  in  contemplation 
of  such  an  affair  had  set  apart  the  famous  and  historical 
Independence  Hall  for  the  ceremony.  But  the  repugnance 
of  the  immediate  family  to  such  a  display,  and  their  desire 
to  bury  their  own  dead  with  simple  and  unostentatious 
Christian  ceremonies,  led  to  the  rejection  of  the  empty 
honors  proposed  by  the  city  authorities,  and  the  funeral 
was  appointed,  as  stated,  to  be  held  at  the  family  resi 
dence.  The  distinguished  rank  and  position  occupied  by 
the  General  at  the  time  of  his  death,  however,  forbade  an 
entire  compliance  with  the  wishes  of  his  bereaved  relatives. 
Custom  and  the  regulations  of  the  service,  no  less  than  the 
universal  desire  of  the  public,  demanded  a  burial  in  ac 
cordance  with  the  rank  of  the  deceased,  and  the  universal 
bereavement  of  the  community  would  be  satisfied  with 
nothing  less.  Therefore  it  was  arranged  for  a  private 
ceremony  at  the  house,  after  which  the  body  should  be 
attended  to  the  grave  with  all  the  pomp  and  show  the 
popular  will  demanded. 

"As  early  as  noon  hundreds  of  people  began  wending 
their  way  towards  the  former  residence  of  the  deceased, 
and  by  half-past  twelve  o'clock  the  streets  in  that  vicinity 
were  thronged  with  dense  masses  of  men,  women,  and 
children.  Conspicuous  in  the  multitude  were  large  num 
bers  of  soldiers,  convalescents  from  the  various  hospitals 
in  and  about  the  city,  disabled  soldiers,  (armless  and  leg 
less,)  soldiers  on  temporary  furlough,  private  soldiers  as 
well  as  officers,  members  of  Birney's  old  command,  as  well 


THE    FUNERAL.  305 

as  many  from  all  other  departments  of  the  army.  The 
throng  evidenced,  by  its  promiscuous  character,  the  univers 
ality  of  the  grief  the  sudden  death  of  this  brave  and  gallant 
officer  had  awakened. 

"At  one  o'clock,  in  obedience  to  the  repeated  demands 
of  this  throng,  the  doors  of  the  house  were  thrown  open 
to  admit  the  multitude  to  a  last  gaze  at  the  dead.  Ar 
rangements  were  perfected  to  admit  the  people  by  the 
front  door  and  allow  them  to  pass  out  at  a  side  entrance. 
The  body,  lying  in  its  plain  coffin,  was  exposed  upon  a 
centre-table  in  a  large  drawing-room.  The  pictures  and 
ornaments  of  this  room  were  tastefully  draped  with  the 
American  colors  and  the  colors  of  the  various  corps  with 
which  the  General  had  served — the  Third,  Second,  and 
Tenth. 

"The  coffin  was  plain  mahogany,  covered  with  black 
cloth,  having  upon  the  lid  a  silver  plate  with  the  follow 
ing  inscription : 

DAVID  BELL  BIRNEY, 

Major-general  United  States  Volunteers, 

Born  May  29,  1825. 
Died  October  18,  1864. 

"The  body  was  dressed  in  the  full  uniform  of  a  major- 
general,  with  the  corps  badge  and  the  decoration  of  the 
Third  Corps  Union,  of  which  he  was  Vice-President, 
fastened  upon  his  left  breast.  A  cross  of  most  exquisite 
white  japonicas  rested  upon  his  breast,  and  a  wreath  of  the 
same  beautiful  flowers  lay  nearer  his  feet.  The  face,  which 
bore  evidence  of  the  wasting  character  of  the  disease  that 

30 


306  DAVID     BELL     BIRNEY. 

had  conquered  him,  was  still  life-like  and  natural,  and  be 
tokened  the  quiet  and  peaceful  manner  in  which  the  spirit 
had  taken  its  flight.  Several  sets  of  side-arms  and  equip 
ments,  gifts  of  friendship  and  admiration,  were  grouped 
upon  a  side  table. 

"  Brigadier-general  William  Birney,  a  brother  of  the  de 
ceased,  and  Chaplain  S.  S.  Jennison,  brother-in-law,  were 
to  arrive  from  the  army  at  half-past  one  o'clock  P.  M.,  to 
attend  the  funeral.  A  delay  in  the  arrival  of  the  train  de 
tained  them  until  half-past  two,  until  which  hour  the  ser 
vices  were  delayed,  and  the  doors  of  the  house  remained 
open  to  admit  the  public.  During  all  this  time  there  was 
no  diminution  of  the  crowd  that  poured  in,  requiring  the 
utmost  efforts  of  the  police  to  regulate  it  and  keep  it  in 
motion.  Probably  during  this  hour  and  a  half  not  less 
than  five  thousand  people  passed  through  the  house,  many 
shedding  tears  as  they  passed  beside  the  remains  of  the 
beloved  dead.  Finally,  when  all  was  ready  for  the  com 
mencement  of  the  services,  it  became  necessary  to  close 
the  doors  in  the  face  of  an  equally  great  multitude  who 
were  begging  for  admission. 

"  The  services  at  the  house  were  simple,  solemn,  and  im 
pressive.  They  were  conducted  by  Rev.  Henry  A.  Board- 
man,  D.  D.,  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  the  family 
are  members.  They  were  introduced  by  reading  selections 
from  the  psalm  commencing  "  Lord,  make  me  to  know  iny 
end,"  etc.  After  this  were  read  some  passages  from  St. 
Paul's  Epistle,  commencing  "  Wherefore,  seeing  we  also 
are  compassed  about  with  so  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses," 
etc.  Dr.  Boardman  then  delivered  a  short  address  to  the 


THE    FUNERAL.  307 

company  assembled,   followed  by   a  touching  and  impressive 
prayer,   which,   with  the  benediction,   closed  the  exercises. 

"The  family  then  drew  near  the  coffin,  and  improved 
the  last  opportunity  of  looking  upon  the  face  of  the  loved 
one.  It  was  a  sad  and  heart-rending  spectacle  as  the  be 
reaved  widow,  followed  by  the  orphaned  children,  drew 
near  the  shrine  of  their  heart's  devotion.  The  lamen 
tations,  and  sobs,  and  cries  of  the  deeply-stricken  family, 
appealed,  in  no  ordinary  manner,  to  the  sympathies  of  all 
beholders. 

"While  these  touching  and  impressive  scenes  were  trans 
piring  within  the  house,  Brigadier-general  Ellet  was  engaged 
without  in  forming  the  escort  and  arranging  the  funeral 
cortege.  This  was  no  easy  matter,  considering  the  dense 
mass  of  people  that  thronged  the  streets  and  choked  up, 
for  several  blocks  in  either  direction,  every  avenue  of  ap 
proach.  But  after  persevering  efforts  the  military  line  was 
formed,  the  troops  facing  the  house,  in  readiness  to  salute 
the  body  as  it  was  brought  out. 

"  The  procession  was  appointed  to  move  at  three  o'clock ; 
but  it  was  precisely  four  as  the  remains  were  brought  out 
of  the  door.  This  delay  was  occasioned  in  a  great  measure 
by  the  difficulty  of  formirig  the  escort  in  the  midst  of  so 
vast  a  crowd  of  spectators.  The  coffin  was  borne  to  the 
hearse  by  soldiers  of  the  old  Twenty-third  regiment  of 
Pennsylvania  volunteers,  formerly  commanded  by  Birney. 
It  was  followed  by  the  pall-bearers  -as  follows: — Major- 
general  Cadwaladcr,  Major-general  Sickles,  Commodore 
Engle,  United  States  Navy,  Brigadier-general  Gwyn,  and 
Colonel  Peter  Sides. 


308  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

"As  the  body  appeared  the  escort  presented  arms,  the 
muffled  drums  beat  a  solemn  roll,  and  a  battery  detailed 
for  the  purpose  commenced  firing  minute-guns,  which  were 
continued  until  the  burial  was  completed. 

"The  hearse  was  drawn  by  four  black  horses,  and  was 
surrounded  by  a  detail  of  the  City  Troop  (of  which 
organization  Birney  was  a  member)  as  a  guard  of  honor. 

"  The  escort  immediately  moved  down  the  street  and 
halted  to  give  place  to  carriages  for  the  mourners  and 
friends,  and  to  form  the  civic  part  of  the  procession. 
When  fully  formed  the  following  was  the  organization  of 
the  cortege : 

"Detachment  of  police,  under  command  of  the  Chief  of 
Police. 

"  Band. 

"Brigadier-general  Ellet,  commanding  escort,  and  staff. 

"  One-hundred-and-eighty-seventh  regiment  Pennsylvania 
infantry,  with  detachments  from  two  militia  regiments. 

"  First  Troop  Philadelphia  city  cavalry,  S.  J.  Randall, 
M.  C.,  commander. 

"Detachment  of  United  States  marines,  with  drum  corps. 

"Carriages  containing  the  officiating  and  other  city 
clergymen. 

"Pall-bearers  in  carriages. 

"  Band. 

•\ 

"  Hearse,  with  guard  of  honor. 

"The  General's  body-servant,  leading  the  General's  fav 
orite  horse  '  Eclipse,'  presented  to  him  by  General  Sickles 
— the  horse  fully  caparisoned. 

"Carriage    containing    the   widow,    Wm.   Jennison,    Esq., 


THE    FUNERAL.  309 

her  father,  Brigadier-general  William  Birney,  and  Mrs.  J. 
G.  Birney,  mother  of  the  deceased. 

"  Carriage  with  Captain  Graves,  of  the  General's  personal 
staff,  and  the  children — Agatha,  Frank,  Willie,  and  Belle. 
(Two  children,  David  B.,  Jr.,  three  years  old,  and  Kearny, 
an  infant,  did  not  go  to  the  grave.) 

"  Mr.  and  Miss  Jennison,  and  Chaplain  S.  S.  Jennison, 
brothers  and  sister  of  Mrs.  Birney,  and  Mrs.  William 
Birney. 

"Officers  and  soldiers  of  the  Twenty-third  regiment  of 
Pennsylvania  volunteers  in  citizen's  dress,  the  regiment  hav 
ing  served  its  full  period  of  enlistment. 

"Captains  Noble  and  Ford,  of  the  General's  staff,  and 
Captains  Fassitt  and  Moore,  recently  of  the  same  con 
nection. 

"  Other  staff  officers  formerly  serving  with  Birney,  and 
the  staff  of  Major-general  Sickles. 

"The  Governor  of  Pennsylvania  and  staff. 

"The  Mayor  of  Philadelphia. 

"Numerous  carriages,  with  intimate  friends  of  the 
family. 

"  Band. 

"Franklin  Lodge,  No.  132,  A.  Y.  M.,  (of  which  Birney 
was  a  member,)  and  deputations  from  other  masonic  orders, 
on  foot. 

"  Officers  of  the  army  who  have  served  under  Birney — on 
foot,  under  direction  of  Colonel  Collis. 

**A  large  deputation  of  other  officers  and  soldiers  of  the 
army. 

"Union  League  of  Philadelphia,  on  foot. 


310  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

"  The  National  Union  Club  of  Philadelphia,  on  foot. 

"Members  of  the  bar  of  Philadelphia,  and  citizens  gen 
erally. 

"  The  procession  was  one  of  the  most  lengthy  and  im 
posing  that  has  ever  been  seen  in  Philadelphia.  When 
fairly  organized  and  moving  it  could  be  measured  only  by 
miles.  The  entire  city  seemed  to  have  turned  out,  either 
as  participants  in  or  spectators  of  the  solemn  pageant. 
The  line  of  march  from  the  residence  to  the  cemetery 
covered  a  distance  of  about  three  miles,  and  along  the 
entire  route  the  streets  were  so  densely  packed  with 
people  that  it  was  frequently  with  great  difficulty  the  cor 
tege  forced  its  way  through.  The  slow,  measured  time  of 
the  solemn  dirges  played  by  the  several  bands  also  con 
tributed  to  increase  the  time  consumed  in  reaching  the 
cemetery,  and  it  was  finally  dark  as  the  body  was  lowered 
into  its  last  resting-place. 

"The  brief  religious  exercises  at  the  grave  were  con 
ducted  by  Rev.  Dr.  Ducachet,  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church.  The  coffin,  wrapped  in  an  American  flag,  was 
rested  over  the  grave,  the  mourning  friends  surrounding 
it,  while  files  of  soldiers  were  just  visible,  through  the 
faint  twilight,  in  the  background.  The  clergyman,  when 
all  was  ready,  in  a  clear  tone  recited  one  or  two  pas 
sages  of  the  Episcopal  burial  service,  commencing,  'We 
commit  his  body  to  the  grave,  earth  to  earth,  ashes  to 
ashes,  dust  to  dust,'  etc.,  and  closed  with  the  benediction. 

"The  body  was  then  lowered  into  the  grave.  It  was, 
indeed,  a  mournful  scene.  The  shades  of  night  were 
gathering  so  rapidly  as  already  to  render  objects  but  dimly 


THE    FUNERAL.  311 

visible.  The  harsh  grating  of  the  coffin  as  it  descended 
into  the  ground,  the  audible  groans  and  sobs  of  the 
stricken  widow,  the  plaintive  cries  of  the  bereaved  children, 
the  sympathetic  sobs  of  the  attending  multitude — all  con 
spired  to  give  impressiveness  and  deep  solemnity  to  the 
event. 

"And  then  the  mourners  moved  away,  having  deposited 
their  loved  one,  in  their  wished-for  unostentatious  manner 
in  his  last  resting-place;  and  when  they  had  withdrawn 
beyond  hearing,  the  more  pompous  and  showy  ceremonies 
of  a  masonic  burial  were  carried  out,  succeeded  by  a  mili 
tary  salute  becoming  the  rank  of  the  dead.  Thus  the  sen 
sitive  shrinking  of  the  family  from  a  grand,  empty  show, 
was  respected  both  at  the  house  and  at  the  grave,  and 
the  public  desire  for  an  opportunity  to  render  homage  to 
the  dead  gratified,  while  the  formal  grandeur  of  a  military 
pageantry  was  not  necessarily  omitted. 

"And  thus  terminates,  in  the  very  full  of  its  usefulness, 
the  brief  career  of  Major-general  Birney.  In  recording 
this  imperfect  sketch  of  the  sad  event,  the  writer  cannot 
refrain  remarking  upon  a  most  singular  coincidence  it 
affords.  On  the  28th  of  September,  not  a  month  since,  in 
a  communication  to  the  Herald,  from  the  Tenth  Corps, 
mention  was  made  of  the  fact  that  the  hospitalities  of  the 
city  of  Philadelphia  had  been  tendered  to  General  Birney, 
and  that  so  soon  as  he  could  be  spared  from  the  field  it 
was  his  intention  to  meet  his  fellow-citizens,  on  which 
occasion  his  former  superior  officer,  General  Sickles,  and 
Governor  Curtin,  with  other  dignitaries,  would  be  present. 
He  has  indeed  been  from  the  field,  and  his  fellow-citizens 


312  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

have  gathered  about  him,  testifying  by  their  presence  their 
appreciation  of  his  worth  as  a  citizen,  and  his  gallantry  and 
bravery  and  ability  as  a  general.  In  the  assemblage,  too, 
were  Major-general  Sickles  and  Governor  Curtin.  How 
singularly  exact  the  appointment  was  kept,  but  how 
mournfully  different  from  what  had  been  anticipated  were 
the  circumstances  of  the  meeting !  Thus  is  brought  out 
in  startling  characters  the  great  truth,  that  man  proposes, 
but  God  disposes." 


OEDEES   ISSUED    LIST    THE    AEMY. 

N    the    death    of    General    Birney 
being    made    known    to    his    old 
comrades    in    arms,  they   sorrow 
fully   did   all    in    their    power   to   honor 
his  memory.      The    following    order   was 
issued    by   General    Butler,    commanding 
the  Army  of  the  James : — 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  VIRGINIA  AND  NORTH  CAROLINA, 
ARMY  OF  THE  JAMES.     IN  THE  FIELD,  Oct.  21,  1864. 

[GENERAL  ORDER,  No.  135.] 

SOLDIERS  OF  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  JAMES: — 

With  deep  grief  from  the  heart  the  sad  words  must  be 
pronounced — Major-general  David  B.  Birney  is  dead. 

But  yesterday  he  was  with  us — leading  you  to  victory. 
If  the  choice  of  the  manner  of  death  had  been  his,  it  would 
have  been  to  have  died  on  the  field  of  battle  as  your  cheers 
rang  in  his  ear.  But  the  All-wise  "determineth  all  things 
well." 

General  Birney  died  at  his  home  in  Philadelphia,  on 
Tuesday  last,  of  disease  contracted  in  the  field  in  the  line 
of  his  duty. 

Surrounded  by  all  that  makes  life  desirable — a  happy 

40  :U3 


314  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

home — endeared  family  relations — leaving  affluence  and  ease, 
as  a  volunteer,  at  the  call  of  his  country — he  came  into 
the  service  in  April,  1861.  Almost  every  battle-field  where 
on  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  has  fought  has  witnessed  his 
valor.  Rising  rapidly  in  his  profession,  no  more  deserved 
appointment  has  been  made  by  the  President  than  General 
Birney's  assignment  to  the  command  of  the  Tenth  Army 
Corps.  The  respect  and  love  of  the  soldiers  of  his  own 
corps  has  been  shown  by  the  manner  they  followed  him. 

THE  PATRIOT — THE  HERO — THE  SOLDIER.  By  no  death  has 
the  country  sustained  a  greater  loss. 

Although  not  bred  to  arms,  he  has  shown  every  soldierly 
quality,  and  illustrated  that  profession  of  his  love  and 
choice. 

It  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  order — nor  will  the  woe  of 
the  heart  of  the  officer  giving  it  now  permit  him — to  write 
General  Birney's  eulogy. 

Yet  even  amid  the  din  of  arms,  and  upon  the  eve  of 
battle,  it  is  fit  that  we,  his  comrades,  should  pause  a  mo 
ment  to  draw  from  the  example  of  his  life  the  lesson  it 
teaches. 

To  him  the  word  DUTY,  with  all  its  obligations  and  in 
centives,  was  the  spur  of  action.  He  had  no  enemies  save 
the  enemies  of  his  country — a  friend,  a  brother  to  us  all: 
it  remains  to  us  to  see  to  it,  by  treading  the  path  of  duty 
as  he  has  done,  that  the  great  object  for  which  he  has 
struggled  with  us  and  laid  down  his  life  shall  not  fail,  and 
his  death  be  profitless. 

Soldiers  of  the  Tenth  Army  Corps !  Your  particular  grief 
at  the  loss  of  your  brave  commander  has  the  sympathy  of 


ORDERS    ISSUED    IN    THE    ARMY.  315 

every  soldier  in  the  army.     It  will   be  yours  to  show  your 
respect    to    his   memory   by   serving    your    country   in    the 
future,  as  with  you  Birney  has  served  it  in  the  past. 
By  command  of  Major-general  Butler. 

ED.  W.  SMITH, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general. 

General  Couch,  commanding  the  Department  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna,  ordered  that  all  flags  within  the  department 
be  displayed  at  half-mast  during  the  day  of  the  funeral. 

General  A.  H.  Terry,  temporarily  commanding  the  Tenth 
Army  Corps  in  the  absence  of  General  Birney,  issued  the 
following  order: 

HEADQUARTERS  TENTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

IN  THE  FIELD,  VA.,  October  25,  1865. 

[GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  43.] 

As  a  token  of  respect  for  the  memory  of  the  late  com 
mander  of  this  corps,  Major-general  David  Bell  Birney,  the 
colors  of  the  regiments,  of  the  batteries,  and  of  the  several 
headquarters,  will  wear  the  usual  badge  of  mourning  for 
the  period  of  thirty  days  from  November  1st. 

By  command  of  Brevet  Major-general  A.  H.  Terry. 

WM.  P.  SHREVE, 

Lieutenant  and  A.  A.  A.  G. 

The  day  after  General  Birney's  death,  General  De  Tro 
briand,  who  was  temporarily  in  command  of  General 
Birney's  old  division,  issued  the  following  order: 


316  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION 
SECOND  ARMY  CORPS,  October  19,  1864. 

[GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  64.] 

It  is  with  profound  regret  that  the  Brigadier-general  com 
manding  has  to  convey  to  this  command  the  sad  news  of 
the  death  of  Major-general  D.  B.  Birney,  after  a  brief  ill 
ness,  in  Philadelphia.  Nowhere  such  a  lamentable  loss 
will  be  more  deeply  felt  than  in  this  division,  the  glorious 
records  of  which  are  so  much  identified  with  the  gallant 
services  of  the  worthy  successor  of  Kearny  and  Hooker. 

He  died  before  the  end  of  the  struggle  in  which  he  took 
such  a  noble  and  conspicuous  part,  but  his  devotion  to  the 
country,  his  fidelity  to  duty,  his  gallantry  in  action,  and 
his  brilliant  efforts  for  the  triumph  of  the  Union,  will  re 
main  among  us  as  an  example  to  follow,  while  his  per 
sonal  qualities  will  endear  his  memory  among  all  those 
who  served  with  him  or  under  him. 

By  order  of  Brigadier-general  De  Trobrian. 

S.   P.   FlNKELMIER, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general. 

Colonel  J.  W.  Moore,  of  the  Two-hundred-and-third  Penn 
sylvania  volunteers,  conveyed  to  his  men  the  sad  news  of 
the  death  of  their  General  in  the  following  language : 

HEADQUARTERS  TWO-HUNDRED-AND-THIRD  REGIMENT 
PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS,  ( BIRNEY' s  SHARPSHOOTERS,) 
BEFORE  RICHMOND,   October  23,  1864. 

[GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  7.] 

Since  it  has  pleased  the  Divine  Ruler  of  the  Universe 
to  take  from  us  our  able  and  gallant  commander,  Major 


ORDERS    ISSUED    IN    THE    ARMY.  317 

general  D.  B.  Birney,  who  gave  up  his  life  in  defence  of 
his  country  and  its  laws,  it  is  fitting  that  some  token  of 
respect  should  be  paid  to  his  memory. 

From  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion  until  the  time  of  his 
death,  he  was  ever  among  the  foremost  in  the  conflict, 
and  has  borne  aloft  the  standard  of  freedom  so  faithfully 
and  unflinchingly  as  to  awaken  in  the  minds  of  his 
countrymen  the  liveliest  emotions  of  respect  and  admira 
tion.  And  although  we  may  cherish  in  our  hearts  the 
remembrance  of  his  past  deeds  and  virtues,  yet,  while  our 
friends  in  the  North  are  showing,  by  various  symbols  of 
mourning,  that  they  have  appreciated  his  value,  and  now 
feel  his  loss,  it  especially  behooves  us,  who  were  under  his 
immediate  command,  to  present  to  the  world  some  outward 
sign  to  prove  that  we  too  lament  his  untimely  death.  It 
is  therefore  ordered  that  crape  shall  be  worn  upon  the 
sword-hilt  by  the  commissioned  officers  of  this  regiment, 
and  that  the  colors  shall  be  draped  in  mourning  for  the 
space  of  thirty  days  from  this  date. 

By  order  of  Colonel  J.  W.  Moore, 

JOHN  A.  LESLIE, 

Adjutant. 


PROCEEDINGS    OF    CIVIL    ORGANIZATIONS. 


HE  Councils  of  Philadelphia,  at  their  first 
meeting  after  General  Birney's  death, 
passed  the  following  resolutions: 

"  Whereas,  It  has  pleased  Almighty  God 
to  remove  by  death  from  our  midst  Major- 
general  David  B.  Birney,  at  a  time  when  our  citizens  were 
seeking  an  opportunity  to  do  honor  to  his  worth  and  bravery  ; 
when  his  many  deeds  of  valor  had  commended  him  to  our 
highest  considerations  of  warmest  sympathy ;  when,  with  Han 
cock,  and  Meade,  and  Grant,  and  a  long  list  of  worthies, 
he  had  gained  for  himself  undying  honors,  and  ranked 
himself  a  brave,  bold,  and  courageous  officer;  when,  after 
slow  advances,  flank  movements,  dashing  charges,  and  se 
vere  battles,  the  'Army  of  the  Potomac,'  under  fearless 
and  able  generals,  had  driven  the  Confederates  within  the 
rebel  capital,  and  when  Richmond  was  almost  within  the 
grasp  of  the  Union  forces.  And 

"  Whereas,  It  is  but  due  to  the  memory  of  the  deceased 
that  our  citizens  should  honor  him  with  a  public  burial  ; 
therefore, 

'•'Resolved,  by  the  Select  and  Common  Councils  of  tlte 
City  of  Philadelphia,  That  the  use  of  Independence  Hall 
be  tendered  to  the  family  of  the  late  Major-general  David 
B.  Birney,  for  the  purposes  of  a  public  funeral. 

(318) 


PROCEEDINGS    OF    CIVIL    ORGANIZATIONS.  319 

"Resolved,  That  we  deeply  deplore  the  loss  of  a  brave 
general,  a  courageous  soldier,  a  distinguished  civilian :  his 
many  deeds  of  valor,  his  many  sacrifices,  his  bold  and  fear 
less  example,  will  be  held  in  gratefid  esteem  by  us,  his 
fellow-citizens.  And  while  we  regret  his  departure  from 
among  us  at  a  time  when  his  courage,  his  efficient  services, 
his  best  energies,  together  with  those  of  his  honored  asso 
ciates  of  the  'Army  of  the  Potomac,'  were  about  to  be 
crowned  with  success,  and  victory  was  about  to  be  pro 
claimed  in  the  occupation  and  possession  of  the  rebel  capi 
tal,  we  humbly  submit  to-  the  decree  of  Heaven  in  this 
sore  and  afflictive  dispensation. 

"Resolved,  That  we  tender  to  the  family  of  the  deceased 
our  heartfelt  sympathy  and  condolence,  and  hereby  testify 
our  sincere  appreciation  of  his  worth  and  merit,  his  valor 
and  courage,  his  many  sacrifices  and  services  in  defence  of 
our  firesides  and  homes,  our  flag  and  our  country. 

"Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  members  from  each 
branch  of  Councils  be  appointed,  together  with  the  Presi 
dent  of  each  chamber  and  the  Mayor  of  the  City,  to  make 
arrangements  for  a  public  funeral  of  the  deceased  from  In 
dependence  Hall,  if  agreeable  to  the  wishes  of  his  family. 
And  that  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  engrossed  and 
presented  to  his  consort,  in  grateful  appreciation  of  the  dis 
tinguished  courage,  bravery,  and  devotion  that  marked  her 
husband's  promotion,  from  the  lieutenant-colonel  to  a  major- 
general  of  volunteers  in  the  United  States  army." 

The  annual  report  of  the  Board  of  Trade  of  Philadelphia, 
of  which  General  Birncy  was  a  member,  written  during  the 


320  DAVID   BELL   BIRNEY. 

week  of  his  death  by  its  President,  Wm.  C.  Ludwig,  Esq., 
who  had  for  years  been  a  firm  friend  of  General  Birney, 
contains  the  following  tribute  to  his  memory : 

"Another  of  our  members  who  departed  this  life  during 
the  past  year  is  Major-general  David  B.  Birney,  a  gentle 
man  whom  we  ah1  respected  for  his  private  virtues  and  his 
eminent  abilities.  Sacrificing  a  lucrative  business,  and  the 
comforts  and  happiness  of  home  and  friends,  he  determined, 
when  the  standard  of  rebellion  was  first  raised,  to  devote 
his  whole  life  and  all  his  energies  to  the  cause  of  his  be 
loved  country ;  and  the  record  he  has  left  behind  him  shows 
how  faithfully  he  discharged  his  sacred  duty.  From  the 
time  he  first  entered  the  service  he  braved  every  danger, 
and  was  engaged  in  most  of  the  important  battles  of  the 
war.  The  proud  reputation  which  he  has  justly  won  by 
his  unflinching  bravery  and  his  skill  and  efficiency  as  a 
commander  in  the  army  that  is  heroically  struggling  to 
subdue  this  unrighteous  rebellion,  merits  from  us  a  tribute 
to  the  memory  of  an  honest  citizen,  a  gallant  soldier,  and 
a  pure,  chivalric,  self-sacrificing  patriot." 
/ 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  First  Troop  of  Philadelphia 
City  Cavalry,  which  acted  as  the  guard  of  honor  at  the 
funeral,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  draft  resolutions, 
expressing  the  sense  of  the  company.  The  following  ex 
tract  is  made  from  the  minutes  of  the  meeting  : 

"The  Committee,  appointed  to  present  resolutions  expres 
sing  the  sense  of  the  members  on  the  death  of  the  late 
Major-general  Birney,  made  the  following  report,  which 
was  unanimously  received  and  adopted: 


PROCEEDINGS    OF    CIVIL    ORGANIZATIONS.  321 

"Whereas,  It  has  pleased  an  inscrutable  Providence  to  re 
move  by  death  (whilst  in  the  service  of  his  country)  our  late 
fellow-member,  Major-general  David  B.  Birney,  therefore, 

"Resolved,  That  the  members  of  this  Troop  unite  with 
the  loyal  citizens  of  our  whole  country  in  mourning  the  loss 
of  so  true  a  gentleman  and  so  gallant  a  soldier;  one  whose 
career  of  distinguished  honor  and  usefulness  will  ever  be 
cherished  in  the  affections  of  the  people,  and  whose  name 
will  be  written  high  upon  the  roll  of  those  noble  martyrs 
and  heroes  who  have  fallen  in  the  grand  struggle  now  going 
on  for  the  preservation  of  our  country's  honor  and  nationality. 

"Resolved,  That,  whilst  sorrowing  over  the  death  of  our 
late  associate,  whose  life  promised  so  much  for  his  friends 
and  country,  we  nevertheless  recognize  and  bow  before  the 
mysterious  will  of  an  all-wise,  all-merciful  God,  'Whose 
way  is  in  the  sea,  and  Whose  path  is  in  the  great  waters,' 
yet  'Who  doeth  all  things  well.' 

"Resolved,  That  the  usual  badge  of  mourning  be  worn 
by  the  members  for  thirty  days. 

"Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  trans 
mitted  to  the  family  of  the  deceased,  and  that  they  be 
published  in  the  daily  papers." 

The  following  report  of  the  proceedings  of  a  meeting  of 
the  officers  of  the  Custom  House  in  Philadelphia  appeared 
in  the  daily  papers  of  the  city: 

"TRIBUTE  OF  RESPECT  TO  THE  MEMORY  OF  MAJOR-GENERAL 
BIRNET. — The  clerks  and  others  connected  with  the  Phila 
delphia  Custom  House  held  a  meeting  yesterday,  after 

business  hours,  to  pay  a  mark  of  respect  to   the   illustrious 

4i 


322  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

dead.  Mr.  Charles  Pryor  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  Mr. 
Benjamin  Huckel  was  appointed  Secretary.  Messrs.  S. 
Snyder  Leidy,  B.  Huckel,  Thomas  J.  Smith,  Thomas  W. 
Martin,  and  Dr.  Griffin  were  appointed  a  Committee  on 
Resolutions.  They  reported  the  resolutions  adopted  on 
similar  occasions.  Messrs.  T.  W.  Martin,  William  J.  Canby, 
and  Abraham  Myers  were  appointed  to  make  the  neces 
sary  arrangements  to  attend  the  funeral  of  General  Birney." 

The  action  taken  by  officers  who  had  served  under  Gen 
eral  Birney  was  reported  by  the  press,  as  follows : 

"A  meeting  of  the  officers  who  have  served  under  Major- 
general  David  Bell  Birney  was  held  at  the  Continental 
Hotel,  on  Thursday,  October  20,  1864,  at  half-past  seven 
o'clock,  P.  M. 

"On  motion,  Colonel  C.  H.  T.  Collis  was  called  to  the 
chair,  and  Captain  Thomas  J.  Diehl  appointed  Secretary. 

"On  motion  of  General  Gwyn,  a  committee  of  five  was 
appointed  to  prepare  resolutions  expressive  of  the  object 
of  this  meeting. 

"On  motion  it  was  resolved,  that  the  officers  who  have 
served  under  General  Birney  shall  attend  his  funeral  in 
full  dress-uniform,  and  shall  assemble  at  the  house  of  Cap 
tain  J.  M.  Davis,  No.  2021  Arch  street,  at  one  o'clock,  on 
Friday,  the  21st  instant. 

"On  motion  of  General  Gwyn, 

"Resolved,  That  we  hereby  extend  an  invitation  to  all 
officers  in  the  service,  now  in  the  city,  to  attend  with  us 
the  funeral  of  General  Birney,  and  assemble  at  the  house 
of  Captain  Davis  for  that  purpose. 


PROCEEDINGS    OF    CIVIL    ORGANIZATIONS.  323 

"On  motion,  a  committee  of  two  were  appointed  to  wait 
upon  Colonel  John  F.  Glenn,  and  extend  the  same  invita 
tion  to  the  officers  of  the  Twenty-third  regiment  Pennsyl 
vania  volunteers. 

"The  Committee  on  Resolutions  reported  the  following, 
which  were  unanimously  adopted : 

"  Whereas,  We  have  heard  with  sorrow  the  death  of  our 
late  commander,  Major-general  David  Bell  Birney,  whose 
worth  we  learned  to  know  and  appreciate  from  our  associ 
ations  of  the  camp  and  field : 

"  Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  General  Birney  the 
army  has  lost  an  able  and  gallant  soldier,  the  nation  a 
true  and  enthusiastic  patriot,  who  devoted  his  whole 
energy  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  cause  in  which  he 
was  engaged. 

"Resolved,  That  as  representatives  of  the  thousands  who 
have  been  marshaled  to  battle  under  his  able  leadership, 
we  feel  it  our  duty  to  place  upon  record  our  high  admira 
tion  of  the  bright  page  which  he  has  made  in  the  history 
of  the  Republic. 

"Resolved,  That  we  will  attend  the  funeral  of  General 
Birney  in  a  body,  and  wear  the  usual  badge  of  mourning 
for  thirty  days. 

"Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  trans 
mitted  to  the  family  of  General  Birney." 


A    TESTIMONIAL    FUND. 

HE  city  of  Philadelphia,  during  the  rebellion, 
nobly  performed  its  entire  duty.  In  propor 
tion  to  its  population  it  has  sent  as  many 
regiments  to  the  field  as  any  city  in  the 
Union.  Many  citizens  who  remained  at  home  have, 
by  their  influence  and  their  purses,  done  ah1  in  their 
power  to  aid  the  officers  of  the  Government  in  their 
efforts  to  put  down  the  rebellion,  and  have  thus  rendered 
services  far  more  valuable  than  if  they  had  shouldered  their 
muskets  and  gone  to  the  field.  One  man,  and  he  not  a 
wealthy  one,  has  been  instrumental  in  furnishing  to  the 
Government  six  regiments  of  infantry  and  a  company  of 
cavalry,  at  a  private  expenditure  of  more  than  twenty 
thousand  dollars,  of  which  he  furnished  more  than  half 
from  his  own  purse. 

A  few  liberal-hearted  men  of  Philadelphia  have  been 
instrumental  in  raising  a  fund  of  twenty  thousand  dollars, 
which  was  presented  to  Brigadier-general  R.  H.  Anderson; 
in  purchasing  and  presenting  to  Major-general  Meade  a 
furnished  dwelling,  at  an  expense  of  more  than  twenty 
thousand  dollars;  and  in  paying  a  similar  compliment  to 
Lieutenant-general  Grant,  at  an  expenditure  of  more  than 
fifty  thousand  dollars.  Besides  these  instances  of  liberality, 
many  funds  have  been  raised  by  individual  efforts  to  pro 
mote  the  organization  of  regiments  and  to  provide  for  the 
(324) 


A    TESTIMONIAL    FUND.  325 

support  of  the  families  of  officers  and  soldiers  who  had 
suffered  in  the  cause  of  the  Union.  Among  the  men  who 
did  their  full  duty  in  this  respect  were  Jay  Cooke,  the 
untiring  agent  for  the  sale  of  the  Government  loans; 
Clarence  H.  Clark,  the  President  of  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Philadelphia;  George  H.  Stuart,  the  President  of 
the  Christian  Commission ;  A.  J.  Drexel,  the  senior  member 
of  the  well-known  house  of  Drexel  &  Co.;  David  Faust,  the 
President  of  the  Union  National  Bank  of  Philadelphia,  and 
George  Bullock,  the  most  active  member  of  the  firm  of  Ben 
jamin  Bullock  &  Sons.  No  one  ever  applied  in  vain  to  any 
of  these  men  for  influence  or  money.  They  were  always 
ready  to  respond  to  such  calls,  and  it  is  to  such  men 
throughout  the  country  that  the  Federal  Government  owes 
its  success. 

Knowing  the  liberality  of  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia, 
the  writer  determined,  after  the  death  of  General  Birney, 
to  inaugurate  a  movement  to  raise  for  his  family  a  fund 
of  at  least  thirty  thousand  dollars.  Governor  Curtin,  with 
that  liberality  of  heart  for  which  he  is  proverbial,  in  a 
political  address,  which,  during  the  campaign  in  which  he 
was  engaged,  he  delivered  on  the  evening  of  the  funeral 
at  the  Academy  of  Music  in  Philadelphia,  made  use  of  the 
following  language : — 

"To-day,  I,  with  others,  followed  to  the  grave  a  soldier 
of  the  Republic,  late  a  citizen  of  Philadelphia.  I  knew 
him  well;  indeed  I  had  the  honor  of  giving  him  his  first 
commission.  I  was  connected  with  every  promotion  he  re 
ceived  from  the  National  Government,  and  followed  him 
with  pleasure  as  he  became  more  distinguished,  from  battle 


326  DAVID    BELL    BIRNET. 

to  battle,  and  became  dearer  and  dearer  to  truly  loyal  men 
everywhere.  Philadelphia  did  herself  honor  to-day  when 
she  honored  the  remains  of  General  David  B.  Birney.  He 
had  braved  the  dangers  of  battle  forty  times,  yet  his  life 
was  spared,  that  he  might  return  to  die  in  the  midst  of 
his  loving  family.  Ever  remembering  the  old  flag  under 
which  he  had  so  often  fought,  he  exclaimed  with  his  last 
breath,  and  as  his  life  went  out,  '  Boys !  keep  your  eyes 
on  that  flag.'  And  so  the  noble  Birney  fills  a  soldier's 
grave.  And  he  has  left  a  wife  and  children  behind  him. 
I  have  frequently  committed  to  the  people  of  Pennsylvania 
the  care  of  the  soldier's  wife  and  children,  and  now  we 
have  a  law  of  our  Commonwealth  by  which  we  assist  to 
nurture  the  destitute  orphans  of  our  brave  martyred  heroes. 
While  I  ask  not  for  charity,  I  trust,  in  justice,  that  the 
people  of  Philadelphia  will  not  forget  the  six  little  chil 
dren  of  General  Birney." 

Acting  on  this  hint  a  meeting  of  the  friends  of  General 
Birney  was  called  at  the  Continental  Hotel  on  Monday 
evening,  October  25th,  "  to  take  measures  to  raise  a  testi 
monial  fund  to  his  memory."  George  Bullock,  Esq.,  was 
called  to  the  Chair,  and  J.  Barclay  Fassitt,  Esq.,  appointed 
Secretary. 

The  following  letter  was  read  from  Major-general  Sickles, 
who  had  come  to  Philadelphia  to  attend  the  funeral  of 
General  Birney: — 

"  CONTINENTAL  HOTEL,  PHILADELPHIA, 
October  24,  1864. 

"  GENTLEMEN  : — 

"It  would  give  me  the  utmost  satisfaction  to  attend  the 
meeting  of  the  associates  and  friends  of  the  late  Major- 


A    TESTIMONIAL    FUND.  327 

general  Birney,  to  be  held  th'is  evening  in  Philadelphia, 
and  I  regret  being  compelled  to  return  to  New  York  to 
day,  so  that  I  cannot  be  present. 

"The  services  of  that  distinguished  officer  deserve  the 
signal  recognition  of  his  countrymen,  and  especially  do 
they  merit  honor  at  the  hands  of  his  fellow-citizens  of 
Pennsylvania. 

"  T  beg  to  be  made  acquainted  with  the  arrangements 
you  may  agree  upon,  and  I  am  sure  there  are  many  besides 
myself  in  the  city  of  New  York  who  will  desire  to  partici 
pate  in  the  proposed  testimonial  to  the  memory  of  the  gal 
lant  and  accomplished  Birney. 

"  With  high  regard,  gentlemen, 

"I  am  your  most  obedient  servant, 

«D.  SICKLES, 

"Major-general  U.  S.  A. 

"  Messrs.  DAVIS,  TOBIAS,  BULLOCK  and 

WlNEBRENNER." 


The  following  resolutions  were  then  submitted  and  unan 
imously  adopted,  after  appropriate  remarks  by  Messrs.  C.  B. 
Barclay,  O.  W.  Davis,  J.  B.  Harding,  J.  W.  Everman,  and 
B.  H.  Moore :- 

Resolved,  That  in  acknowledgment  of  the  valuable  ser 
vices  rendered  his  country  since  April  19,  1861,  by-  the 
late  David  B.  Birney,  and  the  sacrifices  he  has  made  in 
the  cause  of  the  Union,  it  is  our  duty,  as  it  will  be  our 
pleasure,  to  use  our  means  and  influence  to  provide  and 
set  apart  for  the  benefit  of  his  family  a  fund  which,  added 
to  Ms  estate,  will  yield  an  income  at  least  equal  to  the  pay 


328  DAVID    BELL    BIRNEY. 

he  received,  so  that  they  will  suffer  no  pecuniary  loss  by 
his  death. 

Resolved,  That  we  hereby  invite  officers  and  soldiers  who 
were  his  companions  in  arms,  or  who  have  at  any  time  been 
under  his  command,  the  members  of  the  associations  with 
which  he  was  connected,  and  all  who  desire  to  do  honor  to 
the  memory  of  a  brave  soldier,  a  kind  friend,  a  true  patriot, 
and  an  accomplished  gentleman,  to  unite  with  us  in  the 
effort  we  hereby  inaugurate. 

Resolved,  That  the  chairman  of  this  meeting  appoint  a 
committee  of  fourteen  members,  who  shah1  have  authority 
to  take  such  measures  as  they  may  deem  expedient  to 
procure  subscriptions  to  the  fund  we  intend  raising,  and  to 
dispose  of  them  in  such  manner  as  in  their  opinion  will  do 
honor  to  the  memory  of  our  late  friend,  David  B.  Birney, 
and  promote  the  comfort  of  his  family. 

The  chair  then  appointed  the  following  committee : — 
O.  W.  Davis,  George  Bullock,  A.  J.  Drexel,  C.  IT.  Clark, 
Joseph  F.  Tobias,  D.  S.  Winebrenncr,  William  Millward,  A. 
D.  Jessup,  J.  W.  Everman,  Henry  C.  Howell,  C.  B.  Barclay, 
B.  II.  Moore. 

After  the  adjournment  of  the  meeting  the  committee 
was  organized  by  the  appointment  of  O.  W.  Davis  as  Chair 
man,  and  J.  B.  Fassitt  as  Secretary.  Caleb  Cope,  Esq., 
was  appointed  Treasurer. 

The  committee  continued  their  exertions  during  the  fall 
of  1864  and  the  spring  of  1865,  until  they  believed  further 
effort  would  be  unavailing.  The  widow  of  General  Birney 
acknowledged  the  receipt  of  this  fund  in  the  following  note 
to  the  contributors: — 


A    TESTIMONIAL    FUND.  329 

"PHILADELPHIA,  April  22,  1865. 
"  To  THE  CONTRIBUTORS  TO  THE 

BIRNEY  TESTIMONIAL  FUND  : — 
"  GENTLEMEN  : — 

"  It  is  with  an  overflowing  heart  that,  for  myself  and  my 
children,  I  thank  you  for  your  munificent  donation  for  our 
benefit.  If  any  thing  could  palliate  the  affliction  which  has 
been  visited  upon  us,  it  is  the  evidences  which  have  been 
afforded  me  of  the  grateful  remembrance  of  the  services  of 
my  husband,  by  his  friends  and  fellow-citizens  of  Philadel 
phia,  and  his  country. 

"  The  fund  you  have  so  generously  contributed  I  and  my 
little  ones  accept  with  gratitude,  and  receive  it  as  a  sub 
stantial  tribute  to  the  memory  of  one  who,  from  the  earliest 
days  of  the  rebellion,  devoted  all  his  energies  to  the  de 
fence  of  right,  in  a  struggle  which  he  long  foresaw  would 
be  terrible,  and  which,  from  his  childhood,  he  had  been 
taught  to  look  for  in  his  own  day  and  generation.  His 
country  he  placed  first  in  his  affections,  and  sacrificed  all 
for  its  good.  I  am  deeply  grateful  to  you  for  this  tribute 
to  his  memory. 

"Yours,  very  respectfully, 

«M.  ANTOINETTE  BIRNEY." 

The  fund  thus  raised  amounted  to  nearly  thirty  thou 
sand  dollars,  and  has  been  appropriately  invested  for  the 
benefit  of  the  family,  by  the  trustees  appointed  by  the 
committee  to  receive  subscriptions. 


42 


THE    END. 


HE  writer  thus  ends  his  sketch  of 
the  life  of  his  friend.  It  has 
been  prepared  hurriedly  during 
such  hours  as  could  be  spared 
from  constant  business  engage 
ments.  His  sole  purpose  has 
been  to  do  honor  to  the 
memory  of  a  friend,  and  to 
put  on  record  the  history  of  a  life  which  is  worthy  of 
the  imitation  of  all  who  are  willing  to  sacrifice  personal 
interests  for  the  good  of  their  country. 

When  the  history  of  the  rebellion  is  written,  Birney's 
name  will  always  occupy  a  subordinate  position,  but  only 
because  he  was  never  assigned  to  an  independent  com 
mand,  where  his  fine  executive  abilities,  his  quick  per 
ception,  and  his  power  of  concentration  could  have  been 
called  forth.  Pic  will  not  take  rank  with  Grant,  Sher 
man,  Sheridan,  or  Thomas,  but  among  the  corps  com 
manders  of  the  armies  his  name  will  always  be  prominent. 
What  he  did  was  always  well  done,  and  he  executed  the 
orders  of  his  superiors  with  energy  and  intelligence,  never 
permitting  any  consideration  of  personal  comfort  or  inter 
est  to  interfere  with  the  discharge  of  his  duty.  In  camp, 
on  the  march,  or  during  action,  he  conscientiously  and 
(330) 


THE   END.  331 

fearlessly  filled  every  requirement  of  the  service.  Though 
the  duties  he  assumed  at  the  commencement  of  the  rebel 
lion  were  at  variance  with  the  whole  current  of  his  life, 
he  soon  fitted  himself  for  their  fulfillment,  and  discharged 
them  faithfully  and  creditably.  He  had  never  sought 
position  or  preferment,  nor  did  he,  after  entering  the 
army,  resort  to  any  of  the  conventional  modes  of  obtain 
ing  reputation;  but  steadfastly  and  earnestly  he  pursued 
the  career  which  duty  pointed  out. 

Had  his  life  been  spared  a  few  months  longer,  he  would 
have  witnessed  the  fall  of  Richmond,  the  surrender  of  all 
the  rebel  armies,  and  the  end  of  the  rebellion ;  and  this 
to  him  would  have  been  ample  compensation  for  all  the 
privation  he  had  undergone.  Returning  his  commission  to 
the  Government,  he  would  have  returned  to  civil  life,  to 
repair  his  shattered  fortune  and  to  occupy  the  position 
to  which  his  superior  business  talents  justly  entitled  him. 
But  this  privilege  was  denied  him,  and  after  three  years 
and  a  half,  the  most  of  which  was  spent  in  an  active 
campaign  life,  he  was  called  away,  just  as  the  dawn  of 
his  country's  splendor  was  about  to  burst  forth.  All  this 
he  felt  during  his  rational  moments  upon  his  death-bed, 
and  he  lamented  the  fate  which,  denying  that  he  should 
not  die  by  the  hand  of  an  enemy,  still  decreed  that  he 
should  not  behold  the  restoration  of  the  Union,  and  the 
success  of  the  experiment,  which,  in  1776,  our  forefathers 
inaugurated  to  prove  to  the  world  that  man  is  capable 
of  self-government. 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX. 


KEARNY'S  REPORT  OF  WILLIAMSBTJRG. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION.  HEINTZELMAN'S  CORPS, 
WiLLiAMSBruG,  May  (>,  1862. 

CAPTAIN  : — 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  that,  on  receiving  orders  on  the  5th 
inst.,  at  nine  A.  M.,  the  division  took  up  its  line  of  march,  and  shortly 
after  came  upon  the  crowded  columns  before  us. 

At  ten  and  three-quarters  A.  M.  an  order  was  received  from  General 
Sumner  to  pass  all  others,  and  to  proceed  to  the  support  of  General 
Hooker,  already  engaged. 

"With  difficulty,  and  much  loss  of  time,  my  division  at  length 
made  its  way  through  the  masses  of  troops  and  trains  that  encum 
bered  the  deep,  muddy,  single  defile,  until,  at  the  Brick  Church, 
my  route  was  to  the  left,  the  direct  road  to  Williamsburg.  At 
half-past  one,  P.  M.,  within  three  and  one-half  miles  of  the  battle 
field,  I  halted  my  column  to  rest  for  the  first  time,  and  to  get 
the  lengthened  files  in  hand  before  committing  them  to  action. 
Captain  Moses,  of  the  General's  staff,  with  great  energy  assisted 
me  in  this  effort.  Almost  immediately,  however,  on  orders  from 
General  Heintzelman,  our  ''knapsacks  were  piled,"  and  the  head 
of  the  column  resumed  its  march,  taking  the  "double-quick"  where- 
ever  the  mud-holes  left  a  footing. 

Arrived  at  one  mile  from  the  engagement,  you  in  person  brought 
me  an  order  for  detaching  three  regiments,  one  from  Berry's,  the 

(335) 


336  APPENDIX. 

leading    brigade,   and    two   from   Birney's,  the   second,   to   support 
Emory's  horse,  to  the  left  of  the  position. 

Approaching  nearer  the  field,  word  was  brought  by  an  aide-de 
camp  that  Hooker's  cartridges  were  expended;  and  with  increased 
rapidity  we  entered  under  fire.  Having  quickly  consulted  with 
General  Hooker,  and  received  General  Heintzelman's  orders  as  to 
the  point  of  onset,  I  at  once  deployed  Berry's  brigade  to  the  left  of 
the  Williamsburg  road,  and  Birney's  on  the  right  of  it,  taking 
to  cover  the  movement  and  to  support  the  remaining  battery,  that 
had  ceased  to  fire,  two  companies  of  Foe's  regiment. 

As  our  troops  came  into  action,  the  brave  men  remaining  of 
Hooker's  division  were  passed,  and  our  regiments  promptly  com 
menced  an  unremitting,  well-directed  fire.  However,  from  the 
lengthening  of  the  files,  the  gap  occasioned  by  the  withdrawal 
from  the  column  of  three  regiments,  and  the  silence  of  the  battery, 
I  soon  was  left  no  alternative  than  to  lead  forward  to  the  charge  the 
two  companies  of  the  Second  Michigan  volunteers,  to  bear  back  the 
enemy's  skirmishers,  now  crowding  on  our  pieces.  This  duty  was 
performed  by  officers  and  men  with  superior  intrepidity,  and  enabled 
Major  Wainwright,  of  Hooker's  division,  to  collect  his  artillerists, 
and  to  re-open  fire  from  several  pieces.  A  new  support  was  then 
collected  from  the  Fifth  New  Jersey,  which,  terribly  decimated 
previously,  again  came  forward  with  alacrity. 

The  affair  was  now  fully  and  successfully  engaged  along  our  whole 
line,  and  the  regiments  kept  steadily  gaining  ground.  But  the  heavy 
strewn  timber  of  the  abattis  defied  all  direct  approach.  Introducing, 
therefore,  fresh  marksmen  from  Poe's  regiment,  I  ordered  Colonel 
Hobart  Ward,  with  the  Thirty-eighth  New  York  volunteers,  to 
charge  down  the  road,  and  take  the  "rifle-pits"  (in  the  centre 
of  the  abattis)  by  their  flank.  This  duty  Colonel  Ward  performed 
with  great  gallantry,  his  martial  demeanor  imparting  all  confidence 
in  the  attack.  Still  the  wave  of  impulsion,  though  nearly  success 
ful,  did  not  quite  prevail ;  but,  with  bravery,  every  point  thus 
gained  was  fully  sustained.  The  left  wing  of  Colonel  Eiley's  regi 
ment,  the  Fortieth  New  York  volunteers,  was  next  sent  for,  and, 
the  colonel  being  valiantly  engaged  in  front,  came  up  brilliantly, 
conducted  by  Captain  Mindil,  chief  of  General  Birney's  staff. 
These  charged  up  to  the  open  space,  and  silenced  some  light 


REPORT    OF    WILLIAMSBURG.  337 

artillery;  and,  gaining  the  enemy's  rear,  caused  him  to  relinquish 
his  cover.  The  victory  was  ours.  About  this  period,  General  Jame 
son  brought  up  the  rear  brigade  and  the  detached  regiments,  having 
previously  reported  them  in  the  midst  of  a  severe  fire.  A  second 
line  was  established,  and  two  columns  of  regiments  made  disposable 
for  further  moves.  But  darkness,  with  the  still  drizzly  rain,  now 
closed ;  and  the  regiments  bivouacked  on  the  field  they  had  won. 

The  reconnoissances  during  the  night,  and  the  early  patrols  of  the 
morning,  revealed  the  enemy  retiring ;  and  General  Ileintzelman  in 
person  ordered  into  the  enemy's  works  (which  our  pickets  of  the 
One-hundred-and-fifth  Pennsylvania,  under  Lieutenant  Gilbert,  were 
entering  with  General  Jameson)  the  Fourth  Maine  regiment,  to  erect 
thereon  its  standard  and  take  possession  in  full  force. 

I  have  to  mark  out  for  the  high  commendation  of  the  General-in- 
chief,  Generals  Jameson,  Birney,  and  Berry,  whose  soldierly  judg 
ment  was  only  equalled  by  their  distinguished  courage.  I  refer  you 
to  their  reports  to  do  justice  to  the  names  of  the  gallant  officers  and 
men  under  their  immediate  command.  Having  confined  myself 
principally  to  the  -centre,  the  key  of  the  position,  I  report  as  having 
conspicuously  distinguished  themselves,  imparting  victory  all  around, 
Colonels  Poe,  of  the  Second  Michigan,  and  Ilobart  Ward,  of  the 
Thirty-eighth  New  York  volunteers. 

Never  in  any  action  was  the  influence  of  the  staff  more  perceptible. 
All  were  most  efficient  and  defiant  of  danger.  I  especially  notice 
Captain  Smith,  Assistant  Adjutant-general  of  General  Berry,  and 
predict  for  him  a  career  of  usefulness  and  glory. 

My  own  staff  were  truly  my  means  of  vision  in  this  battle  in  the 
woods.  I  have  to  deplore  the  loss  of  my  chief  of  staff)  Captain  Wil 
son,  who  was  killed  while  putting  in  execution  my  desire  for  a  general 
onset,  at  the  period  of  the  last  charge,  falling  within  the  enemy's 
lines.  Also  of  Lieutenant  Barnard,  late  of  West  Point,  at  the  end 
of  the  engagement,  after  having  previously  lost  a  horse.  Captain 
Wm.  E.  Sturges,  my  aide,  was  brave,  active,  and  judicious.  Lieu 
tenant  Moore,  another  of  my  aides,  renewed  in  this  field  his  previous 
distinction  gained  abroad.  My  volunteer  aide,  Mr.  Watts  Depuyster, 
bore  himself  handsomely  in  this  his  first  action. 

Our  batteries  were  on  the  field,  but  were  not  required;  Major 
Wainwright  (Hooker's  division)  having,  by  much  personal  effort, 

43 


APPENDIX. 

resumed  the  fire  of  several  pieces.  But  Captain  Thompson,  U.  S.  A., 
the  chief  of  my  division  artillery,  in  the  midst  of  a  heavy  fire,  gave 
me  the  benefit  of  his  experience. 

I  have,  sir,  the  honor  to  be, 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obdt.  servt., 

P.  KEARNY, 

Brigadier-general  commanding  Division. 

CAPTAIN  CHAUNCEY  MCKEEVER, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general,  Heintzelman's  Corps. 


SUPPLEMENTAL    REPORT. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION,  HEINTZELMAN'S  CORPS, 

CAMP  BERRY,  BARHAMSVILLE,  VA.,  May  10, 1862. 

SIR: — 

The  events  which  crowded  on  us  after  the  battle  of  the  5th — 
its  stormy  night,  the  care  of  the  wounded,  •  the  attentions  to  the  slain, 
the  collection  of  the  trophies,  the  moves  of  the  next  day — having 
prevented  my  report  embracing  the  distinguished  acts  of  individuals 
not  serving  in  my  presence,  induced  me  to  request  that  the  superior 
authority  of  the  corps  commander  would  be  employed  to  use  as  my 
own  the  separate  reports  of  my  brigade  commanders,  who  so  ably 
sustained  my  efforts  by  their  gallantry,  and  who  so  amply  fulfilled 
the  high  prestige  which  they  had  won  as  colonels  of  noble  regiments. 

The  lists  of  the  generals  of  brigades  comprise  the  names  of  the 
following  officers  and  regiments : 

The  right  of  my  line  consisted  of  two  regiments  of  the  second 
brigade,  General  Birney,  viz.:  the  Thirty-eighth  New  York  volun 
teers,  Colonel  Hobart  Ward,  and  the  Fortieth  New  York  volunteers, 
Colonel  Riley,  -the  other  two  regiments  of  this  brigade  having,  a  mile 
back  from  the  field,  been  detached  to  join  General  Emory.  The 
Thirty-eighth  New  York  was  the  regiment  that,  sent  for  by  me, 
charged  down  the  road  and  took  the  pits  and  abattis  in  flank. 
Colonel  Ward  has  already  been  noticed  as  one  of  the  "bravest  of 
the  brave."  He*  reports  that  Lieutenant-colonel  Strong  certainly  de- 


REPORT    OF    WILLIAMSBURG.  339 

serves  mention  for  his  gallantry.  It  would  be  unjust  to  mention 
any  one  line  officer  before  another  where  all  behaved  so  well.  This 
regiment  lost  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  men  on  the  21st  of  July, 
1861,  at  Bull  Eun.  This  day  there  were  nine  officers  killed  and 
wounded  out  of  nineteen,  in  this  regiment,  who  went  into  action. 

The  Fortieth  New  York,  under  Colonel  Riley,  performed  noble 
and  efficient  services.  Colonel  Riley,  with  great  spirit,  held  the  right 
wing  with  half  his  regiment,  after  the  Thirty-eighth  and  half  the 
Fortieth  had  been  withdrawn  to  act  under  my  personal  direction. 
The  part  of  the  Fortieth  acting  on  the  road,  against  the  central  pits 
and  abattis,  charged  down  the  road,  into  the  plain,  beyond  the  enemy's 
flank,  and  drove  off  by  their  fire  two  pieces  of  artillery,  brought 
expressly  against  them.  Fortune  favored  them. 

The  battle  on  the  left  of  the  line  was  a  series  of  assaults  by  the 
enemy,  and  repulses  and  onsets  by  ourselves,  the  fresh  reinforce 
ments  of  the  enemy  continually  tending  to  outflank  us.  General 
Berry  was  on  the  alert,  and,  by  good  arrangements  and  personal 
example,  influenced  the  ardor  of  all  around  him.  His  regiments 
fought  most  desperately.  Their  losses  attest  it.  It  was  one  of  them, 
Colonel  Poe's  Second  Michigan,  more  directly  under  my  control, 
which  maintained  the  key-point  of  our  position.  Two  of  its  com 
panies  led  off  with  the  firs\  success  of  the  day,  whilst  covering  the 
artillery.  Colonel  Poe  has  already  won  a  reputation  in  Western 
Virginia.  He  was  a  distinguished  officer  of  the  U.  S.  Army  before 
taking  command  of  this  regiment.  I  especially  notice  him  for  ad 
vancement  :  his  talents,  his  bravery,  his  past  services,  merit  it. 

Colonel  Hayman,  (Captain  Seventh  U.  S.  Infantry,)  commanding 
the  Thirty-seventh  New  York  volunteers,  on  the  extreme  left,  was 
charged  with  guarding  against  the  enemy's  turning  our  flank.  His 
duty  required  vigilance  and  pertinacity. 

Colonel  Terry,  commanding  the  Fifth  Michigan  volunteers,  was 
principally  engaged  in  carrying  rifle-pits  in  the  woods.  His  loss  is 
the  highest  on  the  list  of  killed  and  wounded. 

In  closing  this  supplemental  report  of  the  location  and  merits  of  regi 
ments  and  individuals,  it  is  proper  to  include,  although  not  attached 
to  my  command,  General  Grover,  who,  with  an  untiring  courage, 
whilst  most  of  his  men,  having  been  relieved  by  our  arrival,  were 
taking  the  needed  respite  after  their  long  hours  of  severe  fighting, 


340  APPENDIX. 

still  brought  up  into  line  along  side  of  us  several  hundred  volunteers, 
who  followed  his  example,  encouraging  them  to  the  fight. 

This  report  would  also  be  incomplete  did  I  fail  to  mention  the 
meritorious  services  of  our  medical  corps.  They  were  everywhere 
aiding  the  wounded  and  establishing  ambulances.  One  of  them,  Dr. 
J.  II.  Baxter,  medical  inspector  of  field  ambulances,  of  Acting  Sur 
geon-general  Tripler's  staffj  assisted  me  greatly  during  the  action  by 
carrying  orders. 

With  the  trust  that  the  division  has  done  its  duty  and  fulfilled 
your  expectations, 

I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

P.  KEARNY, 

Brigadier-general  commanding  Division. 

CAPT.  C.  McKEEVER, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general,  Heintzelman's  Corps. 


BIRNEY'S   REPORT   OF  WILLIAMSBURG. 

HEADQUARTERS  BIRNEY'S  BRIGADE,  KEARNY'S  DIVISION, 
CAMP  NEAR  WILLIAMSBUKG,  VA.,  May  6,  1862. 

SIR:— 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  that,  after  a  wearisome  march  of  six 
hours  on  yesterday,  through  deep  mud  and  a  drenching  rain;  my 
brigade  being  heavily  burdened  with  knapsacks,  haversacks  and 
shelter-tents,  I  received  an  order  from  General  Kearny  to  relieve  the 
troops  under  my  command  from  all  encumbrances  and  move  forward 
to  the  scene  of  action,  some  three  miles  distant,  as  rapidly  as  possible. 
Leaving  under  guard  all  knapsacks,  etc.,  the  brigade,  although  jaded 
and  wearied,  moved  forward  as  rapidly  as  the  roads  would  permit. 

On  nearing  the  front,  by  order  of  General  Heintzelman  through 
Captain  McKeever,  I  detached  the  Third  and  Fourth  Maine  regiments 
and  proceeded  with  the  Thirty-eighth  and  right  wing  of  the  Fortieth 
New  York  regiments,  to  the  right  of  the  road,  and  relieved,  oppor 
tunely,  fragments  of  regiments  that  had  been  in  the  fight.  They 


REPORT    OF    WILLIAMSBURG.  341 

marched  steadily  to  the  front  and  drove  the  enemy,  after  a  furious 
contest,  from  the  woods,  who  fell  back  over  the  fallen  timber  and 
opened  a  destructive  fire  from  rifle-pits.  They  were  supported  by 
their  batteries,  which  poured  a  well-aimed  and  destructive  fire  into 
our  ranks.  The  Thirty-eighth  and  right  wing  of  the  Fortieth  New 
York  behaved  nobly  and  maintained  their  position  during  the  contest. 
The  Thirty-eighth  New  York  -  regiment,  under  Colonel  Ward,  were 
ordered  to  charge  down  the  main  road  in  advance  of  the  Michigan 
regiments,  and  piercing  the  enemy's  centre,  to  carry  the  rifle-pits  by 
the  flank ;  and  the  left  wing  of  Colonel  Biley's  regiment,  Fortieth 
New  York,  were  ordered,  in  like  manner,  to  follow  the  Thirty-eighth 
New  York  to  take  the  enemy  in  the  rear.  I  sent,  with  this  wing, 
Captain  Mindil  of  my  staff,  and  under  General  Kearny's  presence  he 
led  them  to  the  dangerous  position  assigned  them.  Captain  Gesner 
of  the  left  wing  and  Captain  Mindil  behaved  well  under  the  terrible 
fire  that  greeted  them,  and  led  the  brave  officers  and  mec  under  them 
gallantly  and  worthily.  Night  coming  on  put  an  end  to  the  pursuit, 
and,  amidst  the  darkness  and  rain,  we  waited  the  morning.  During 
the  night  the  Third  and  Fourth  Maine,  that  had  been,  previous  to  the 
contest,  detached  by  order  of  General  Heintzelman,  reported  to  me 
for  duty  in  front ;  and,  by  order  of  General  Kearny,  I  moved  them 
to  the  front  to  relieve  the  Thirty-eighth  and  Fortieth  New  York  regi 
ments.  I  pushed  them  on  to  the  enemy's  works,  found  them  deserted 
and  troops  to  the  left  of  us  in  possession. 

My  brigade  has  lost  several  gallant  officers  and  many  brave  men 
in  this  contest.  Where  so  much  gallantry  was  displayed  it  is  difficult 
to  select  those  most  deserving  of  notice.  To  Colonel  Ward,  Captains 
Mindil  and  Gesner,  fell  the  good  fortune  to  lead  the  most  important 
charges,  and  they  were  well  supported  by  the  gallant  officers  and  men 
under  them.  Colonel  Riley  maintained  well  his  position,  and  executed 
the  orders  with  coolness  and  efficiency.  The  loss  of  the  rebels  in 
front  of  my  regiments  was  terrible.  Those  that  remained  on  the 
ground,  some  forty,  were  decently  buried.  The  Thirty-eighth  New 
York  regiment,  or  "  Scott  Life  Guard,"  preserved  well  the  high  repu 
tation  it  gained  for  gallantry  at  Bull  Run;  and  although  in  that 
engagement  and  this  it  has  lost  fifteen  officers  and  one-third  of 
its  members,  it  is  still  ready  to  devote  the  balance  to  support  our 
flag.  I  ask  that  Congress  will,  by  special  resolution,  authorize  this 


342  APPENDIX. 

regiment  to  place  upon  its  colors  "Bull  Bun"  and  "Williamsburg," 
and  the  Fortieth  New  York  or  "  Mozart "  regiment' "  Williamsburg." 
I  trust  that  the  general  commanding  division,  seeing  how  well  two  of 
my  regiments  carried  out  his  orders,  will  never  hesitate  to  rely  upon 
my  brigade.  Lieutenant-colonel  Strong,  Thirty-eighth  New  York 
regiment,  deserves  special  mention  for  his  gallant  conduct.  His 
wound,  although  disabling  him,  I  am  happy  to  report  is  not  mortal, 
and  he  will  be  soon  returned  to  his  regiment. 

Yery  respectfully,  your  obdt.  servant, 

D.  B.  BIENEY, 

Brigadier-general  commanding  Brigade. 

CAPT.  W.  E.  STURGES, 

A.  A.  A.  G.,  Kearny's  Division. 


KEARNY'S   REPORT   OF   FAIR   OAKS. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION,  HEINTZELMAN'S  CORPS, 

INTRENCHED  CAMP  NEAII  SAVAGE'S,  June  2,  1802. 
SIR: — 

On  the  31st  ultimo,  at  three  P.  M.,  I  received  an  order  to 
send  a  brigade  of  my  division  by  the  railroad  to  support  Keyes' 
corps,  said  to  be  severely  engaged. 

Birney's  brigade  was  designated,  and,  getting  most  promptly  under 
arms,  advanced  accordingly. 

Captain  Hunt,  aide-de-camp  to  General  Heintzelman,  arriving 
from  the  field,  made  me  aware  of  the  discomfiture  of  most  of  Casey's 
entire  division.  The  retiring  wagons  and  a  dense  stream  of  disor 
ganized  fugitives  arrived  nearly  simultaneously.  As  a  precaution,  I 
ordered  some  picked  Michigan  marksmen  and  a  regiment  to  proceed 
and  occupy  the  dense  woods  bordering  on  the  left  of  our  position,  to 
take  in  flank  any  pursuers.  I,  however,  soon  received  General 
Heintzelman's  directions  to  order  forward,  by  the  Williamsburg  road, 
the  remaining  brigade  and  to  retrieve  the  position  the  enemy  had 
driven  us  from.  I  put  myself  at  the  head  of  the  advanced  regiment 
and  set  forward  without  delay.  I  also  sent  written  orders  for  Jame 
son's  brigade,  camped  at  our  tete-dc-pont,  near  Bottom's  bridge,  (three 


REPORT    OF    FAIR    OAKS.  343 

miles  in  rear,)  to  come  up  without  delay.  This  order  met  with 
General  Heintzelman's  approval.  On  arriving  at  the  field  of  battle 
we  found  certain  zigzag  rifle-pits,  sheltering  crowds  of  men,  and  the 
enemy  firing  from  abattis  and  timber  in  their  front.  General  Casey 
remarked  to  me,  on  coming  up,  "  If  you  will  regain  our  late  camp,  the 
day  will  still  be  ours."  1  had  but  the  Third  Michigan  up,  but  they 
moved  forward  with  alacrity,  dashing  into  the  felled  timber  and  com 
mencing  a  desperate  but  determined  contest,  heedless  of  the  shell  and 
ball  which  rained  upon  them.  This  regiment,  the  only  one  of  Berry's 
brigade  not  engaged  at  "VVilliamsburg,  at  the  price  of  a  severe  loss, 
has  nearly  outvied  all  competitors.  Its  work  this  day  was  complete. 
This  regiment  lost  ten  officers  and  one  hundred  and  fifty-six  men. 
One  company,  of  fifty  picked  marksmen,  lost  its  captain  killed,  its 
lieutenant  wcunded  and  twenty-six  men.  I  take  pleasure  in  particu 
larizing  Colonel  S.  G.  Champlin  wounded,  Lieutenant-colonel  A.  A. 
Stevens,  Major  Pierce,  and  Captains  J.  C.  Smith,  E.  S.  Pierce,  and 
Lieutenant  G.  E.  Judd. 

The  next  regiment  that  came  up,  the  Fifth  Michigan,  again  won 
laurels  as  fresh  as  those  due  them  for  Williamsburg.  Its  loss 
then  was  one  hundred  and  forty-four.  Its  loss  this  day  was  six 
officers  and  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  men ;  its  noble  officers  did 
their  duty.  I  directed  General  Berry  with  this  regiment  to  turn  the 
slashing  and  gain  the  open  ground  on  the  enemy's  right  flank, 
which  was  perfectly  accomplished.  The  Thirty-seventh  New  York 
was  arranged  in  column  to  support  the  attack.  Its  services,  in  the 
sequel,  proved  invaluable. 

In  the  meanwhile  my  remaining  brigade,  the  One-hundred-and- 
fifth  and  Sixty-third  Pennsylvanians,  came  up  under  General  Jameson, 
the  other  two  regiments  having  been  directed,  one  to  Birney  and  one 
to  Peck.  It  is  believed  that  they  did  well,  and  most  probably  urgent 
reasons  existed,  but  I  respectfully  submit  that  it  is  to  the  disadvan 
tage  of  a  constituted  command  to  take  men  from  their  habitual 
leaders ;  and  not  to  be  anticipated  that  a  brave  though  weak  division 
can  accomplish  the  same  results,  with  its  regiments  thus  allotted  out 
to  those  whom  they  neither  know  nor  have  fought  under;  at  the  same 
time  that  it  diminishes  the  full,  legitimate  sphere  of  the  commander 
of  the  division.  Of  these  regiments,  the  One-hundred-and-fifth  was 
placed  in  the  slashings,  now  vacated  by  the  oblique  advance  of  the 


344  APPENDIX. 

Third  Michigan,  whilst  eight  companies  of  the  Sixty -third  Pennsyl- 
vanians,  led  by  Lieutenant-colonel  Morgan,  and  most  spiritedly 
headed  by  General  Jameson,  aided  by  his  daring  chief  of  staff,  Cap 
tain  Potter,  were  pushed  through  the  abattis,  (the  portions  never  until 
now  occupied  by  us,)  and  nobly  repelled  a  strong  body  of  the  enemy, 
who,  though  in  a  strong  line  and  coming  up  rapidly  and  in  order,  just 
failed  to  reach  to  support  this  position  in  time,  but  who,  nothing 
daunted,  and  with  a  courage  worthy  a  united  cause,  halted  in  battle 
array  and  poured  in  a  constant,  heavy  roll  of  musketry  fire.  The 
One-hundred-and-fifth  Pennsylvania  lost  eleven  officers  and  two  hun 
dred  and  forty-five  men.  The  Sixty-third  Pennsylvania  lost  eight 
officers  and  one  hundred  and  forty  men. 

This  was,  perhaps,  near  six  o'clock,  when  our  centre  and  right, 
defended  by  troops  of  the  other  divisions,  with  all  their  willingness 
could  no  longer  resist  the  enemy's  right  central,  flank  attacks,  pushed 
on  with  determined  discipline  and  with  the  impulsion  of  numerous 
concentrated  masses.  Once  broken  our  troops  fled  incontinently,  and 
a  dense  body  of  the  enemy  pursuing  rapidly,  yet  in  order,  occupied 
the  Williamsburg  road,  the  entire  open  ground,  and  penetrating  deep 
into  the  woods  on  either  side,  soon  interposed  between  my  division 
and  my  line  of  retreat.  It  was  on  this  occasion  that,  seeing  myself  cut 
off,  and  relying  on  the  high  discipline  and  determined  valor  of  the 
Thirty -seventh  New  York  volunteers,  I  faced  them  to  the  rear 
against  the  enemy  and  held  the  ground,  although  so  critically  placed, 
and,  despite  the  masses  that  gathered  on  and  had  passed  us,  checked 
the  enemy  in  his  intent  of  cutting  us  off'  from  the  White  Oak  Swamp. 
This  enabled  the  advanced  regiments,  averted  by  orders  and  this  con 
test  in  their  rear,  to  return  from  their  hitherto  victorious  career,  and 
to  retire  by  a  remaining  wood-path  known  to  our  scouts,  (the  saw- mill 
road,)  until  they  once  more  arrived  at  and  remanned  the  impregnable 
position  we  had  left  at  noon,  at  our  fortified  division  camp.  The  loss 
of  the  Thirty-seventh  New  York  is  severe,  viz. :  seven  officers  and 
eighty  men.  At  Williamsburg  its  loss  was  ninety-five ;  it  there 
formed  our  extreme  left ;  Colonel  Hayman,  its  colonel,  has  ever  been 
most  distinguished;  he  revived,  this  day,  his  reputation  gained  in 
Mexico.  Adjutant  James  Henry,  Captain  James  O'Beirne  and  Lieu 
tenants  W.  C.  Green  and  P.  J.  Smith;  were  particularly  distinguished 
for  courage  and  activity. 


REPORT    OF    FAIR    OAKS.  345 

The  detached  brigade  under  Birney  had  been  ordered  to  support 
by  the  railroad  side — not  to  attack.  It  accomplished  this  success 
fully  ;  for  I  understand  that  it  enabled  General  Couch,  who  had  been 
cut  off  with  a  brigade,  to  form  the  junction  with  the  army.  The 
Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania  volunteers  (Jameson's  brigade)  having 
been  on  fatigue,  were  ordered  to  report  to  General  Birney,  and  was 
seriously  engaged.  Its  loss  was  five  officers  and  ninety-seven  men. 
This  brigade  on  the  following  day,  having  been  kept  out  in  advance 
of  the  division  camps,  performed,  under  Colonel  J.  H.  Ilobart  Ward, 
a  brilliant  charge.  The  loss  of  the  brigade  has  been  seven  officers 
and  one  hundred  and  eighty-three  men. 

The  Second  Michigan  volunteers,  Colonel  Poe,  and  two- companies 
of  the  Sixty-third  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  having  been  on  distant 
pickets,  were  late  to  join  in  the  battle,  but  arrived  most  opportunely 
to  resist  the  advanced  pursuers  of  the  enemy  near  our  intrenched 
camp,  and  aided  in  giving  me  time  to  organize  its  defence.  Its  loss 
was  two  officers  and  fifty-three  men. 

The  Eighty-seventh  New  York  volunteers  were  detached  with 
General  Peck.  I  refer  you  to  him  for  favorable  notice.  Its  loss  was 
six  officers  and  seventy-five  men. 

It  is,  perhaps,  within  the  limits  of  my  report,  to  mention  General 
Peck,  who  was  distinguished  and  wounded  in  Mexico.  On  the  dis 
comfiture  of  the  right  and  centre  he  rallied  near  the  saw-mill  several 
hundred  of  the  fugitives,  and  was  coming  with  them  from  there  again 
to  the  field,  when  I  directed  him  to  anticipate  the  enemy  and  man 
the  retrenched  camp.  In  doing  this,  I  particularize  a  noble  regiment, 
the  First  Long  Island  Legion,  under  Colonel  Adams. 

I  have  again  to  dwell  on  the  exemplary  conduct  of  the  brilliant 
officers  of  the  staff.  Captain  Potter,  General  Jameson's  Assistant 
Adjutant-general,  who  had  already  attracted  notice  at  Williamsburg, 
was  here  as  conspicuously  gallant,  as  extremely  useful.  I  have  to 
regret,  in  the  loss  of  Captain  Smith,  Assistant  Adjutant-general  of 
General  Berry's  staff,  the  premature  fate  of  one  whose  gallantry  at 
Williamsburg  made  me  anticipate  a  career  which  he  fulfilled  again 
in  this  action.  My  acting  aide,  Lieutenant  Mallon,  rendered  me 
great  services,  and  was  wounded.  My  aide,  Captain  Sturges,  was 
left  with  General  Birney  ;  Captain  Moore  was  sent  after  my  artillery, 

and  was,  as  usual,  active. 

44 


346  APPENDIX. 

I  "have  again  to  regret  that  the  unequalled  batteries,  Thompson's, 
(Second  U.  S.  Artillery,)  Eandolph's,  and  Beam's,  were  not  employed, 
from  there  being  other  batteries  substituted. 

In  finishing  this  report  I  trust  you  will  bring  to  the  attention  of 
the  General-in-chief  that,  masters  of  the  lost  camp  and  victorious  and 
in  full  career,  the  fate  of  the  centre  decided  our  own,  and  that  the 
regiments  were  suddenly  stopped  by  orders  dispatched  to  them,  and 
by  hearing  the  fire  of  their  support,  the  Thirty-seventh  New  York, 
in  rear  of  their  entire  line ;  but,  undismayed  and  in  good  order,  they 
effected  their  retreat. 

I  have  also  to  call  to  your  attention  that  the  loss  of  my  regiments, 
only  five  thousand  fighting  men  all  told,  have  again,  within  a  very 
short  period,  paid  the  penalty  of  daring  and  success,  by  the  marked 
and  severe  loss  of  near  one  thousand  three  hundred  men.  I  have 
again  to  bring  to  notice  for  conspicuous  good  conduct,  Generals  Jame 
son,  Berry  and  Birney ;  the  latter  acted  in  an  independent  command ; 
the  two  former  led  in  person  the  advance  of  their  men. 

Among  numerous  prisoners  was  Colonel  Bratton,  of  Sixth  South 
Carolina  volunteers,  taken  by  Colonel  Walker,  Fourth  Maine. 

The  losses  of  the  enemy  were  even  vastly  severer  than  our  own, 
and  in  places  the  slain  were  piled  in  confused  masses. 

I  add,  in  conclusion,  that  the  enemy's  success  of  the  afternoon  did 
not  prevent  me,  that  very  night,  from  pushing  forward  Major  Dillman 
and  two  hundred  Michigan  marksmen  to  the  saw-mill,  (one  mile  in 
advance,)  whence  he  boldly  threw  out  reconnoissances  in  the  vicinity 
and  to  the  left  of  the  late  battle-ground. 

Very  respectfully,  your  ob't  servant, 

P.  KEAKNY, 

Brigadier-general  commanding  Division. 

CAPT.  CHAUNCEY  MCKEEVER, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general,  Heintzelman's  Corps. 


REPORT    OF    FAIR    OAKS.  347 


BIRNEY'S   REPORT   OF   FAIR   OAKS. 

HEADQUARTERS  BIRNEY'S  BRIGADE,  FIRST  DIVISION,  THIRD  CORPS, 

HARRISON'S  LANDING,  July  8, 1862. 
SIR:— 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  for  the  information  of  the  general 
commanding  the  division,  the  part  taken  by  this  brigade  in  the  battle 
of  Seven  Pines,  on  the  31st  of  May,  1862.  My  brigade  was  com 
posed  of  the  Thirty-eighth  and  Fortieth  New  York  regiments,  and 
the  Third  and  Fourth  Maine  regiments. 

The  Thirty-eighth  had  been  detailed  on  the  30th  of  May  for  picket 
duty,  and  were  being  relieved  when  the  firing  on  the  31st  of  May 
commenced,  so  that  there  were  only  about  one  hundred  men  of  this 
regiment  in  the  action.  Two  companies  of  the  Fortieth  New  York 
had  been  detailed  as  guards  over  commissary  stores ;  my  brigade  was 
thus  reduced  to  about  thirteen  hundred  strong. 

At  three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  I  received  an  order  from  General  Kearny 
to  move  the  brigade  up  the  railroad  and  report  by  a  staff  officer 
to  General  Keyes.  Ten  minutes  after  three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  my 
column  was  in  motion,  led  by  the  Fourth  Maine  volunteers,  followed 
in  order  by  the  Fortieth  New  York,  Third  Maine,  and  the  remnant 
of  the  Thirty-eighth  New  York.  Before  I  had  reached  the  rail 
road,  at  fifteen  minutes  past  three  o'clock,  General  Kearny  rode  up 
and  ordered  me  to  return  to  the  Williamsburg  and  Richmond  road 
and  man  the  line  of  rifle-pits  thrown  up,  called,  by  him,  the  second 
line.  Upon  reaching  this  point,  he  himself  stationed  the  Fortieth 
New  York  in  the  rifle-pits,  and  detached  a  large  number  as  sharp 
shooters  in  and  around  the  house  used  as  a  hospital.  He  ordered  the 
Fourth  Maine  to  the  right  of  the  Fortieth  in  the  woods. 

At  this  time  one  of  my  aides  informed  me  that  General  Kearny  had 
sent  his  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant-general,  Captain  Sturges,  with  the 
Third  Maine  and  Thirty-eighth  New  York  up  the  railroad.  I  asked 
General  Kearny  whether  he  had  given  this  order ;  he  replied  that  he 
had,  but  ordered  me  to  gallop  over  to  the  railroad  and  stop  them,  and 


348  APPENDIX. 

to  form  one  in  column  of  companies  on  the  railroad  and  to  deploy 
the  portion  of  the  Thirty-eighth  in  the  field  as  skirmishers  on  the 
right  flank,  so  as  to  cover  that  flank.  He  ordered  me  to  obey  no 
order  to  move  from  that  position  unless  the  order  came  through  him. 
He  stated  that  the  disordered  troops,  now  pouring  through  our  lines, 
could  not  be  rallied ;  that  the  enemy  had  Casey's  camp  and  first  line 
of  works,  and  the  only  hope  of  successfully  stopping  his  progress  was 
the  second  line.  He  ordered  me  to  take  position  on  the  railroad,  and 
sent  Captain  Sturges,  his  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant-general,  to  remain 
with  me.  I  made  the  disposition  of  the  Third  Maine  and  Thirty- 
eighth  New  York  as  ordered,  and  then  made  efforts  to  rally  the 
fugitives  from  the  front.  I  succeeded  in  rallying  and  attaching  to  the 
Thirty-eighth  New  York  some  hundred  men  of  the  Twenty-third 
regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  formerly  commanded  by  myself; 
one  company  of  this  regiment,  under  Captain  Adolph  Cavada,  had 
been  on  picket  duty  on  the  railroad,  where  my  line  crossed,  and 
willingly  joined  rny  command.  I  was  under  many  obligations  to 
Captains  Gwyn,  Cavada  and  Lieutenant  J.  B.  Fassitt,  of  the  Twenty- 
third  regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  for  their  active  assistance  in 
my  efforts  to  reform  the  fugitives. 

At  five  o'clock,  P.  M.,  Lieutenant  Hunt,  of  General  Heintzelman's 
staff,  rode  up  and  ordered  me  to  advance  up  the  railroad  to  the  sup 
port  of  Keyes'  corps.  I  at  once  moved,  with  the  Third  Maine  leading, 
and  sent  my  aides,  Major  J.  F.  Tobias  and  Captain  Mindil,  to  withdraw 
the  Fortieth  New  York  and  Fourth  Maine  from  the  position  in  which 
they  were  posted  by  General  Kearny,  and  to  order  them  to  follow. 
As  I  moved,  Colonel  Campbell,  of  the  Fifty-seventh  regiment  Penn 
sylvania  volunteers,  reported  to  me  that  he  had  been  ordered  to 
proceed  up  the  railroad.  I  assumed  command  of  his  regiment  and 
assigned  him  position  in  my  column. 

After  advancing  a  mile  up  the  railroad  the  firing  became  heavy 
upon  my  left,  and  I  ascertained,  by  inquiry,  that  the  men  engaged 
were  part  of  Couch's  division,  Keyes'  corps,  which  I  had  been  ordered 
to  support.  At  this  point  the  enemy  opened  a  scattering  musketry 
fire  from  a  woods  that  ran  to  the  railroad  in  front,  and  I  at  once 
deployed  my  column  into  line  of  battle.  Finding  that  the  firing  on  the 
left  was  getting  more  to  the  rear,  I  led  into  the  woods  the  Fifty  seventh 


REPORT    OF    FAIR    OAKS.  349 

regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers  and  Fortieth  New  York,  and  suc 
ceeded,  after  a  sharp  contest,  in  driving  back  the  enemy  from  his 
attempt  to  turn  the  right  flank  of  our  troops.  The  loss  of  the  Fifty- 
seventh  was  very  heavy — its  gallant  colonel  falling,  severely  wounded, 
the  major  killed,  and  the  list  of  the  casualties  very  large. 

Captain  Brady,  of  the  Pennsylvania  artillery,  now  rode  up  to  me 
and  said,  that  he  came  from  General  Couch,  who  sent  word  that  his 
command  had  been  cut  oft)  but  he  had  found  a  road  by  which  to 
extricate  his  artillery,  through  the  swamp,  and  if  I  could  hold  the 
railroad  and  prevent  the  enemy  from  cutting  him  off,  he  could  extri 
cate  himself. 

I  sent  word  to  him  that  I  had  been  sent  to  his  support,  and  would 
and  could  hold  the  railroad.  At  this  time,  (about  six  o'clock,)  Captain 
Suydam,  of  General  Keyes'  staff,  rode  up  to  me  and  told  me  that  Gen 
eral  Heintzelman  ordered  me  to  advance  still  farther  up  the  railroad.  I 
asked  him  if  General  Heintzelman  knew  where  I  was,  and  that  my 
command  was  going,  then,  into  action  between  the  railroad  and  Wil- 
liamsburg  road.  He  replied,  that  Generals  Keyes  and  Heintzelman 
were  some  two  miles  in  the  rear,  and  he  knew  nothing  beyond  the 
order.  I  at  once  made  disposition  to  move  forward,  throwing  out 
skirmishers  and  withdrawing  the  Fortieth  New  York  volunteers. 
The  Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania  volunteers  were  thrown  into  too 
much  confusion  in  the  woods  to  withdraw. 

My  skirmishers  in  front  were  constantly  engaged,  and  in  advancing 
we  captured  some  two  hundred  prisoners.  When  my  lines  reached 
the  woods  near  Fair  Oaks  Station,  an  oblique  artillery  fire  from  my 
right  across  my  front  commenced.  To  advance  would  have  subjected 
me  to  this  fire,  and  supposing  that  it  was  General  Sumner,  who  had 
crossed  and  was  advancing,  I  sent  successively  three  aides  to  report 
to  him  my  position,  instructions  and  to  ask  orders. 

The  orders  from  him  were  to  connect  with  General  French,  com 
manding  his  left,  and  advance  pari  passu.  He  also  sent  the  Seventh 
Massachusetts,  Colonel  Eussell,  to  report  to  me,  in  order  to  strengthen 
my  command,  as  the  position  held  by  me  was  important. 

At  this  time  Captain  Hassler  rode  up  to  me  from  General  Kearny, 
and  ordered  me  to  return  at  once  to  the  position  assigned  by  him  to 
me  at  three  o'clock.  Before  obeying  this  order  I  sent  my  aide,  Cap- 


350  APPENDIX. 

tain  Linnard,  to  him,  to  advise  him  of  my  connection  with  General 
Sumner's  command,  and  to  state  that  if  I  withdrew  there  would  be  a 
gap  of  half  a  mile  between  his  right  and  Sumner's  left,  with  the 
enemy  in  force  in  its  front  ready  to  move  through  in  the  morning. 

He  repeated  the  order  for  me  to  return.  I  placed  out  a  strong 
guard,  under  Major  Pitcher,  of  the  Fourth  Maine,  and,  preceding  my 
column,  went  to  General  Kearny's  tent  and  explained  to  him  the  posi 
tion  of  my  brigade  and  the  importance  of  the  position.  He  concurre'd 
with  me  and  ordered  me  to  remain.  I  did  so,  and  at  ten  o'clock, 
P.  M.,  had  my  connection  perfect  with  General  French.  The  railroad 
embankment  afforded  natural  rifle-pits,  and  I  posted  my  brigade 
behind  it  and  bivouacked  for  the  night,  throwing  out  strong  pickets. 
The  enemy  was  in  force  in  our  front  and  made  no  attempt  at  conceal 
ment,  but  built  fires,  talked  aloud,  and  was  evidently  preparing  for 
another  attack,  which  was  made  the  next  morning.  I  anticipated 
it  during  the  night,  and,  though  a  heavy  rain  was  falling,  my  command 
was  under  arms  and  prepared  for  the  enemy. 

At  daylight,  while  making  preparations  for  the  attack,  an  order 
reached  me  from  General  Kearny,  requiring  me  to  turn  over  the 
brigade  to  the  officer  next  in  rank  and  report  to  him.  I  did  so, 
at  once,  and  found  General  Kearny.  He  said  he  had  received 
an  order  from  General  Heintzelman  to  place  me  under  arrest.  I 
asked  him  the  cause.  He  said  he  did  not  know,  but  he  would  not 
act  on  the  order  until  I  could  go  to  General  Heintzelman  with  a  mes 
sage  that  he  (General  Kearny)  assumed  all  the  responsibility  for  my 
actions  of  the  previous  day.  I  went  at  once  and  requested,  through 
Lieutenant  Hunt,  an  interview  with  General  Heintzelman.  I  was 
told,  in  reply,  that  any  communication  must  be  in  writing.  I  left 
General  Heintzelman's  headquarters,  and  did  not  resume  command 
of  the  brigade  until  after  the  finding  of  the  court-martial,  convened 
to  try  the  charges  against  me,  had  been  approved  by  General 
McClellan. 

My  brigade,  however,  under  Colonel  Ward,  to  whom  I  surrendered 
the  command,  did  valuable  service  on  June  1st,  and,  being  protected 
partially  by  the  embankment  behind  which  I  had  placed  it,  suffered 
comparatively  little  loss.  Of  the  details  of  their  subsequent  action  I 
am  unable  to  speak. 


ORDER    OF    COURT-MARTIAL.  351 

It  is,  of  course,  a  matter  of  congratulation  that'  my  conduct  met  the 
approval  of  the  general  commanding  the  division,  and  that  in  his 
report  of  what  transpired  he  does  ample  justice  to  my  command. 
I  am  your  obedient  servant, 

D.  B.  BIRNEY, 

Brigadier-general  commanding  Brigade. 

CAPT.  W.  C.  STURGES, 

A.  A.  Adjutant-general,  Kearny's  Division. 


ORDER   OF   COURT-MARTIAL. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

CAMP  LINCOLN,  VA.,  June  19,  1862. 

[GENERAL  ORDER,  No.  135.] 

I.  Before  a  General  Court-martial,  of  which  Brigadier-general 
Andrew  Porter,  volunteer  service,  is  President,  convened  at  Sav 
age's  Station,  Ya.,  by  virtue  of  Special  Orders,  No.  180,  Headquarters 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  of  June  14,  1862,  was  arraigned  and  tried 
Brigadier-general  D.  B.  Birney,  U.  S.  Volunteer  Service,  on  the 
following  charges  and  specifications : 

CHARGE  FIRST. — " Disobedience  of  orders"  Specification.  In  this, 
that  he,  the  said  Brigadier-general  D.  B.  Birney,  U.  S.  Volunteer 
Service,  having  been  ordered  by  proper  authority  to  advance  his 
brigade  on  the  Richmond  and  York  River  Railroad,  towards  the 
enemy,  to  the  support  of  General  Keyes'  corps,  did  fail  and  neglect 
to  obey  said  order,  although  repeatedly  ordered  to  do  so.  This  at 
or  near  the  bivouac  near  Savage's  house,  on  the  railroad  from  Rich 
mond  to  York  river,  on  or  about  the  31st  of  May,  1862. 

CHARGE  SECOND. — "  Conduct  prejudicial  to  good  order  and  military 
discipline}"1  Specification.  In  this,  that  the  said  Brigadier-general 
D.  B.  Birney,  U.  S.  Volunteer  Service,  having  been  ordered  to  ad 
vance  his  brigade  on  the  Richmond  and  York  River  Railroad,  and 
engage  the  enemy,  did  neglect  and  fail  to  obey  said  order,  and  did 
halt  his  troops  on  the  railroad,  about  a  mile  from  the  place  where  the 
battle  was  raging.  This  at  or  near  the  bivouac  near  Savage's  house, 


352  APPENDIX. 

on  the  railroad  from  Richmond  to  York  river,  on  or  about  the  31st 
of  May,  1862. 

PLEA. — "  Not  guilty"  After  mature  deliberation  on  the  testimony 
adduced,  the  Court  finds  the  accused,  Brigadier-general  D.  B.  Birney, 
U.  S.  Volunteer  Service,  as  follows : 

Of  the  specification  of  the  first  charge:  "Not  guilty."  Of  the 
first  charge :  "  Not  guilty."  Of  the  specification  of  the  second  charge : 
"  Not  guilty."  Of  the  second  charge :  "  Not  guilty." 

And,  therefore,  the  Court  does  honorably  acquit  the  said  Brigadier- 
general  D.  B.  Birney,  U.  S.  Volunteer  Service,  of  the  said  charges  and 
specifications. 

II.  The  proceedings  of  the  General  Court-martial  in  the  foregoing 
case  are  confirmed.     Brigadier- general  D.  B.  Birney,  U.  S.  Volunteer 
Service,  is  accordingly  released  from  arrest,  and  will  resume  his  sword 
and  the  command  of  his  brigade. 

III.  The  General  Court-martial,  of  which  Brigadier-general  A. 
Porter  is  President,  is  dissolved. 

By  command  of  Major-general  McClellan. . 

S.  WILLIAMS, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general. 


COMMENTS  OF  THE  PRESS  UPON  THE  COURT- 
MARTIAL. 

SAVAGE'S  STATION,  June,  18,1802. 

As  will  be  seen  by  the  following  orders,  the  recent  court-martial 
instituted  in  the  case  of  Brigadier-general  D.  B.  Birney,  for  alleged 
misconduct  at  the  recent  battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  has  honorably  exoner 
ated  him  of  the  charges,  and  he  has  resumed  command  of  his  brigade. 
As  we  have  previously  stated,  we  had  the  most  entire  confidence  in 
the  ability  of  the  General  to  disprove  the  charges  upon  which  he  was 
arrested,  and  the  finale  of  the  matter  shows  how  correct  we  were  in 
our  opinion. 


COMMENTS    OF    THE    PRESS.  353 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL  D.  B.  BIRNEY  : 

The  commanding  general  has  approved  the  proceedings  of  the 
court-martial  acquitting  you,  and  has  ordered  General  Heintzelman 
to  release  you  from  arrest,  and  restore  you  to  the  command  of  your 
brigade. 

By  command, 

S.  WILLIAMS, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION,  THIRD  CORPS, 

CAMP  NEAR  SEVEN  PINES,  VA.,  June  19,  1862. 

[GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  21.] 

BRIGADIER-GENERAL  D.  B.  BIRNEY: 

Having  been  returned  to  duty  with  all  credit,  you  will  re-assume 
command  of  the  second  brigade. 

P.  KEABNY, 

Brigadier-general  commanding  Division. 

On  the  back  of  this  order  was  the  following  in  General  Kearny's 
handwriting : 

GENERAL  BIRNEY: — It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  put  in  force  the 
within  directions. 

The  court-martial  sat  at  Savage's  house  on  Monday  last  at  ten 
o'clock. 

General  Heintzelman  was  the  first  witness  called.  He  stated  that 
he  knew  nothing  personally  of  the  matter ;  he  did  not  know  what 
brigade  was  ordered  to  go  up  the  railroad ;  that  the  orders  that  he 
sent  were  through  aides ;  he  was  surprised  that  he  had  been  called  as 
a  witness. 

Lieutenant  Hunt,  aide  to  General  Heintzelman,  next  testified.  He 
was  ordered  by  General  Heintzelman,  at  a  quarter  before  five  o'clock, 
on  Saturday,  to  find  General  Birney,  who  was  on  the  railroad,  and 
order  him  to  proceed  up  the  railroad  to  the  front;  that  he  found 
General  Birney,  at  about  ten  minutes  after  five,  on  the  railroad,  and 
ordered  him  to  do  so ;  that  General  Birney  immediately  ordered  his 
brigade  forward,  and  that  as  he  left  he  saw  them  moving  up  the  road. 

45 


354  APPENDIX. 

Next  witness  called  was  Lieutenant  Norton,  aide  to  General  Heint- 
zelman.  Testified  that  he  had  been  sent  with  orders,  but,  meeting 
Hunt,  did  not  carry  them.  Did  not  see  General  Birney. 

General  Kearny  testified  that  about  three  o'clock  on  Saturday  he 
received  an  order  from  General  Heintzelman  to  send  a  brigade  up 
the  railroad  to  report  to  General  Keyes;  that  he  ordered  General 
Birney  to  execute  this  order;  that,  after  giving  this  order,  he  pro 
ceeded  up  the  Williamsburg  road,  and,  witnessing  a  panic  among  the 
troops  retreating,  he  ordered  the  brigade  of  General  Birney  to  be 
placed  in  the  rifle-pits,  and  to  remain  on  his  (Kearny's)  right ;  that 
he  sent  Captain  Sturges,  his  aid,  to  General  Birney  to  see  that  his 
order  was  executed ;  that  this  brigade  was  detached  afterwards,  by 
order  of  General  Heintzelman,  from  his  command  and  sent  up  the 
railroad ;  that  he  knew  nothing  personally  of  the  distance  that  Gen 
eral  Birney  went  up  the  railroad,  or  the  time  that  he  received  the 
order  ;  he  never  knew  such  an  order  was  given  ;  that  he  was  ordered 
up  the  Williamsburg  turnpike ;  that  his  two  brigades  being  driven 
back,  and  forced  by  detour  by  the  saw-mill  to  get  back  to  the  position 
that  he  had  held  before  being  ordered  to  the  front,  he  sent  an  order 
to  General  Birney,  at  about  half-past  six  o'clock,  to  fall  back  and 
form  a  connection  with  his  right  on  the  railroad,  connecting  General 
Birney's  right  with  the  left  of  Surnner's  corps ;  that  this  order  was 
promptly  executed.  He  also  stated  that  the  position  taken  by  Gen 
eral  Birney  was  an  admirable  one ;  and  the  security  afforded  by  the 
excavations  of  the  railroad  saved,  on  the  next  morning,  great  loss  of 
life,  enabling  the  brigade  to  repulse  the  enemy.  General  Birney,  he 
said,  was  distinguished  for  his  prompt  obedience  of  all  orders,  and 
that  at  Williamsburg  he  had  mentioned  him  for  his  conduct  in  that 
engagement. 

Captain  Sturges,  Assistant  Adjutant-general  to  General  Kearny, 
testified  that  at  three  o'clock  on  Saturday  an  order  was  sent  by  Gen 
eral  Kearny  to  General  Birney  to  move  his  brigade  up  the  railroad 
to  the  support  of  General  Keyes;  that  ten  minutes  afterwards  the 
order  was  countermanded  by  General  Kearny,  and  General  Birney 
was  ordered  to  take  a  position  behind  the  rifle-pits;  that  at  five 
o'clock  he  received  an  order,  through  Lieutenant  Hunt,  from  Gen 
eral  Heintzelman,  to  proceed  up  the  railroad  to  the  support  of  General 
Keyes'  corps;  that  General  Birney  immediately  moved  up  the  rail- 


COMMENTS    OF    THE    PRESS.  355 

road  at  "  double-quick ;"  that  he  went  with  him  a  mile,  and  then 
returned  to  General  Kearny;  that  then  he  saw  no  more  of  him 
(General  Birney). 

Captain  Hassler  next  testified.  (This  gentleman  is  an  aide-de-camp 
to  General  Jameson.)  He  was  sent  by  General  Jameson  with  the 
Fifty-seventh  regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers  up  the  railroad  to 
General  Birney ;  General  Birney  took  command  of  the  regiment,  and, 
when  he  marched  up  the  railroad,  placed  it  in  action  in  support  of 
the  First  Long  Island  regiment,  one  of  Couch's  division,  which  was 
being  outflanked  by  the  enemy ;  that  they  drove  the  enemy  before 
them  with  the  bayonet,  with  the  loss  of  one  colonel  wounded  and  a 
major  killed ;  that  he  returned  at  this  time  to  General  Jameson,  who 
was  with  General  Birney,  and  reported  the  fact  to  General  Kearny ; 
General  Kearny  sent  him  back  to  General  Birney  with  instructions 
to  move  his  brigade  immediately  back  to  the  place  whence  he  had 
been  ordered  by  Lieutenant  Hunt,  and  to  hold  that  position,  con 
nected  with  his  (Kearny's)  right.  That  he  found  General  Birney, 
with  his  brigade,  near  Fair  Oaks,  and  gave  the  order  to  him;  that 
General  Birney  said  to  him :  "Are  you  sure  that  your  order  is  right? 
I  have  received  a  great  many  contradictory  orders  to-day,  and  it 
should  have  been  in  writing ;"  that  General  Birney  sent  back  with 
him  Lieutenant  Linnard,  his  aide,  to  see  General  Kearny,  and  state 
that  he  had  made  the  connection  with  General  Sedgwick  on  his  right, 
and  was  ordered  up  the  railroad  by  General  Heintzelman,  and  ask 
whether,  under  these  circumstances,  he  still  wished  his  order  obeyed ; 
that  the  enemy  was  still  strong  on  his  left  and  rear.  That  he  then 
returned. 

Colonel  Ward,  Thirty-eighth  New  York,  next  sworn.  At  three 
o'clock  he  had  been  placed  on  the  right  of  Birney's  brigade,  and 
deployed  his  regiment,  as  skirmishers,  in  the  woods;  that  at  five 
o'clock  he  received  from  Birney  an  order  to  move  up  the  railroad, 
which  he  did  immediately  after  the  Third  Maine.  After  proceeding 
three-quarters  of  a  mile,  heavy  fifing  being  heard  on  the  left,  he 
received  a  command  from  Birney  to  "  double-quick"  to  the  brigade 
camp  into  line  of  battle  in  the  front  field,  and  the  two  regiments,  the 
Fifty -seventh  Pennsylvania  and  the  Fortieth  New  York,  were  sent 
up  the  road  on  the  left,  and  put  in  action;  that  the  point  was  con 
tinually  harassed  by  the  sharpshooters  of  the  enemy:  that  after 


356  APPENDIX. 

remaining  in  this  field  twenty  minutes,  he  was  ordered  again  to  move 
forward ;  that  the  brigade  was  then  moved  up  to  within  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  of  Fair  Oaks,  when  Captain  Hassler  rode  up  with  orders  from 
General  Kearny  to  return  immediately  with  the  brigade.  General 
Birney,  hesitating,  halted  the  brigade,  and  then  sent  back  an  aide  to 
find  out  whether  General  Kearny  knew  that  General  Ileintzelman  had 
ordered  him  forward ;  that  upon  the  return  of  the  aide,  General  Birney 
retired  to  the  spot  held  by  him  from  three  to  five  o'clock ;  that  Birney 
left  the  brigade  here,  and  rode  to  General  Kearny's  to  get  further 
instructions ;  that  upon  his  return  he  put  the  brigade  in  motion  again, 
and  occupied  the  advanced  post  held  by  him  in  the  afternoon,  and 
formed  a  connection  upon  the  right  with  Sumner's  corps,  by  a  line  of 
pickets ;  that  he,  Ward,  took  command  of  the  brigade  after  Birney 
had  been  relieved,  and  attacked  the  enemy  with  the  same  dispo 
sition  of  troops. 

Captain  Mitchell,  of  Birney's  staff,  also  testified  to  the  principal 
facts  as  above. — Army  Correspondence  of  Philadelphia  Inquirer. 

The  following  communication  appeared  in  the  Philadelphia,  In 
quirer  : 

EDITOR  PHILADELPHIA  INQUIRER: 

The  reported  arrest  of  this  officer  on  the  battle-field;  and  the  state 
ment  made  by  the  reporter  of  the  New  York  Herald,  that  had  his 
brigade  obeyed  the  order  of  General  Ileintzelman  at  the  battle  of 
Fair  Oaks  many  valuable  lives  would  have  been  saved,  have  brought 
upon  General  Birney  unjust  and  undeserved  censure.  His  immediate 
friends,  confident  of  his  bravery  and  energy,  have  never  doubted  that 
when  the  smoke  of  the  battle-field  passed  away  he  would  be  fully 
exonerated  from  all  blame.  Had  he  been  charged  with  some  rash 
act,  his  friends  could  have  believed  it  possible ;  for  by  nature  he  is 
impulsive ;  and  they  could  believe  that  he  had  undertaken  some 
rapid  movement,  resulting  in  disaster ;  but  no  one  who  knows  the 
man  would,  without  conclusive  evidence,  believe  that  he  was  ever 
too  slow. 

As  the  reasons  of  his  arrest  are  to  be  the  subject  of  inquiry  by 
a  military  tribunal,  it  would  be  injudicious  to  anticipate  the  evidence 
which  will  be  offered ;  but  it  is  only  just  to  General  Birney  that  some 


COMMENTS    OF    THE    PRESS.  357 

explanation  be  made  in  response  to  the  unfair  accusations,  which  have 
no  other  foundation  than  the  statement  of  a  reporter,  prepared  the  day 
of  the  battle,  and  before  he  could  possibly  have  had  time  to  ascertain 
the  part  performed  by  the  brigade  under  the  command  of  General 
Birney.  Precedents  are  not  wanting  to  show  that  the  first  reports 
damaging  to  the  character  of  an  officer  are  seldom  verified.  The 
charge  against  General  Smith,  of  drunkenness,  before  Yorktown,  had 
no  other  foundation  than  that  his  horse  stumbled  and  fell.  It  was 
immediately  announced  that  he  was  drunk  on  the  battle-field,  and, 
but  for  fortunate  circumstances,  his  brigade  would  have  been  cut  to 
pieces.  Based  upon  newspaper  authority,  the  statement  was  made  on 
the  floor  of  Congress ;  but  in  less  than  ten  days  the  truth  was  known, 
and  General  Smith  was  vindicated  in  the  estimation  of  those  who  had 
charged  him  unjustly.  Other  generals  have  been  charged  with  in 
efficiency,  cowardice  and  treason ;  and  have,  for  a  time,  rested  under 
the  most  unjust  imputations ;  but  reparation  has  invariably  followed 
investigation. 

General  Birney  cannot  claim  exemption  from  the  chances  of  war; 
and  if,  while  attempting  to  execute  the  conflicting  orders  given  during 
the  panic  which  ensued  upon  the  unepxected  rout  of  General  Casey's 
division,  on  Saturday,  May  31st,  it  appeared  to  General  Heintzelman 
that  General  Birney  had  disobeyed  orders,  it  becomes  him  as  a  good 
soldier  to  remain  quiet  under  the  charge  until  the  time  for  explanation 
shall  arrive. 

There  is  no  man  from  our  city  who  has  made  greater  sacrifices  to 
do  his  duty  to  his  country  than  General  Birney.  He  abandoned  a 
large  and  lucrative  business,  and  threw  his  whole  energies  into  his 
new  career.  His  promotion  from  lieutenant-colonel  to  brigadier- 
general,  during  the  first  eight  months  of  the  war,  was  solely  the 
result  of  the  opinion  of  his  competency,  based  upon  his  conduct; 
for  he  had  no  friends  at  court,  nor  had  he  ever  been  engaged  in 
political  life. 

The  reports  which  were  prepared  on  Sunday,  and  published  in  two 
of  the  New  York  papers,  on  Tuesday  and  Wednesday,  were  evidently 
prepared  without  inquiry.  General  Birney,  with  his  brigade,  did 
halt;  but  it  was  in  pursuance  of  orders.  He  was  "not  within  a  mile 
of  the  enemy,"  but  within  the  reach  of  the  bayonet;  and  those  now 
living,  who  were  in  his  brigade  on  Saturday  afternoon,  do  not  say 


358  APPENDIX. 

that  there  was  any  omission  of  duty,  or  any  failure  to  perform  any 
service  which  the  position  of  the  brigade  permitted. 

The  imputation  upon  General  Birney,  which  the  reports  referred  to 
imply,  do  not  cast  a  shadow  upon  him  alone,  but  on  the  officers  and 
men  under  his  command.  The  services  they  rendered  were  valuable 
and  important.  Human  flesh  and  blood  could  not  have  done  more  ; 
and  the  number  of  killed  and  wounded  from  their  ranks  attest  that 
the  contest  in  which  they  were  engaged  was  not  bloodless.  For  their 
sake,  as  well  as  that  of  their  general,  this  statement  has  been  pre 
pared;  and  it  is  hoped  that  it  may,  in  some  measure,  disabuse  the 
impression  which  the  public  mind  may  have  formed  from  the  un 
founded  allegations  rendered  current  by  the  hastily-prepared  reports 
of  the  battle. 


KEARNY'S   REPORT   OF   CHARLES   CITY 
CROSS   ROADS. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION,  THIRD  ARMY  CORPS, 

July  6, 1862. 

CAPTAIN  : — 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  as  follows  on  the  moves  and  battles 
of  last  week : 

On  the  28th  of  June,  at  midnight,  I  received  orders  to  prepare  to 
retire  from  Fair  Oaks.  This  was  executed  at  six  A.  M.,  regularly 
and  without  annoyance,  the  enemy  appearing  with  distrust,  as  we 
left  without  pressure.  My  division  then  took  up  its  position  in  the 
very  strong  fortified  camp  near  Savage's.  In  the  afternoon  we  re 
ceived  orders  again  to  retire  across  the  White  Oak  Swamp.  This 
I  executed  by  the  back  (or  mill)  road.  Some  artillery  and  my 
Twentieth  Indiana  marksmen  held  this  place  for  several  hours  after 
the-  retreat  commenced,  and  manned  the  works  on  the  right  of  the 
road,  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the  enemy  from  hurrying  us. 

Colonel  Brown,  Twentieth  Indiana,  greatly  distinguished  himself. 
His  regiment  lost  some  killed  and  wounded,  as  the  enemy  shelled 


REPORT    OF    CHARLES    CITY    CROSS    ROADS.  359 

the  works  towards  the  last,  and  parties  of  his  advance  and  our  rear 
guard  became  engaged. 

Fearing  lest  the  roads  to  the  White  Oak  Swamp  bridge  and  Brack- 
ett's  ford  might  be  unduly  clogged  with  troops,  I  proposed  crossing 
at  Jordan's  ford,  three  miles  below  my  carnp.  I  had  reconnoitered 
it  in  the  morning,  and  found  that  the  enemy  was  in  force  on 
the  Central  road,  but  not  on  the  Charles  City  road,  and  did  not 
then  seem  to  be  on  the  lookout.  General  Robinson  was  to  cover 
my  retreat,  and  was  cautioned  against  the  enemy's  troops  arriving 
from  across  the  Williamsburg  road.  General  Birney  with  his  brigade 
was  to  lead  the  march;  General  Berry  to  follow. 

It  was  found,  after  crossing  the  double  arm  of  the  swamp  at  Jor 
dan's,  that  our  moves  had  been  expected ;  and  it  being  problematical 
whether  the  relative  position  of  the  lines  of  retreat  justified  a  full 
engagement,  after  a  successful  engagement  of  the  advanced  pickets, 
and,  on  learning  that  the  road  to  Brackett's  ford  was  then  free,  I 
withdrew  the  troops  and  proceeded  by  that  ford;  General  Berry's 
brigade,  however,  finding  Fisher's  ford  unobstructed,  passed  by  that 
route.  This  same  night,  by  ten  P.  M.,  the  whole  division  was  en 
camped  on  and  near  the  Charles  City  road,  at  a  point  subsequently 
(during  the  battle)  occupied  by  General  Slocum. 

In  the  morning,  June  30th,  I  drew  up  in  a  very  strong  position  on 
the  Charles  City  road.  Subsequently,  I  was  assigned  to  guard  the 
New  Market  road  and  the  country  thence  to  the  Charles  City  road, 
a  space  of  near  two  and  a  half  miles.  In  taking  up  my  line  of 
battle,  General  Robinson,  with  the  first  brigade,  was  posted  on  the 
left ;  his  left  on  the  New  Market  road  supporting  Thompson's  bat 
tery.  General  Birney  divided  the  distance  with  him  to  the  Charles 
City  road,  and  General  Berry  was  in  reserve.  General  Slocum  was 
to  the  right  of  my  line  of  battle ;  General  McCall  to  its  left. 

The  enemy's  attack  commenced  on  General  McCall,  at  about  two 
P.  M.  At  about  three  P.  M.,  it  seemed  to  be  fully  developed ;  but 
as  I  rode  over  to  visit  it,  it  did  not  seem  to  me  to  be  unduly  threaten 
ing,  further  than  from  the  shape  of  his  line ;  its  left  being  greatly 
refused,  it  had  disadvantages  for  myself,  although  advantageous  for 
those  to  whom  the  enemy  must  present  his  flank  in  making  an 
attack  upon  them.  At  four  P.  M-.,  the  attack  commenced  on  my  line 
with  determination  and  vigor,  and  in  such  masses  as  I  had  never 


360  APPENDIX. 

witnessed.  Thompson's  battery,  directed  with  great  skill,  literally 
swept  the  slightly  falling,  open  space  with  the  completest  execution, 
and,  mowing  the  enemy  down  by  ranks,  would  bring  the  survivors 
to  a  momentary  halt;  but,  almost  instantly  after,  increased  masses 
came  up  and  the  wave  bore  on.  These  masses  coming  up  at  a  rapid 
run,  covering  the  entire  breadth  of  the  open  ground, — some  two 
hundred  paces, — would  alone  be  checked  in  their  career  by  gaps  of 
the  fallen.  Yet  no  retreat ;  but  again  a  fresh  mass  would  carry  the 
approaching  line  still  nearer.  If  there  was  one  man  in  this  attack 
there  must  have  been  ten  thousand,  and  their  loss  by  artillery,  al 
though  borne  with  such  fortitude,  must  have  been  unusual.  It  was 
by  thousands,  the  irrepressibility  of  numbers,  they  persisted.  The 
artillery,  destructive  as  it  was,  ceased  to  be  a  calculation. 

It  was  then  that  Colonel  Hayes,  with  the  Sixty-third  Pennsylvania 
and  half  the  Thirty-seventh  New  York  volunteers,  moved  forward 
to  the  line  of  the  guns.  I  have  here  to  call  to  the  attention  of  my 
superior  chiefs  this  most  heroic  action  on  the  part  of  Colonel  Hayes 
and  his  regiment.  The  Sixty -third  has  won  for  Pennsylvania  the 
laurels  of  fame.  That  which  canister  failed  in  effecting,  was  now 
accomplished  by  the  determined  charge  and  rapid  volleys  of  this 
foot.  The  enemy  at  the  muzzles  of  our  guns,  for  the  first  time 
sulkily  retired  fighting,  and  ground  having  been  gained,  the  Sixty- 
third  was  ordered  to  "lie  low,"  while  the  battery  once  more  re-opened 
its  ceaseless  work  of  destruction. 

This  battle  saw  renewed  three  onsets,  as  above,  with  similar  vicissi 
tudes,  when,  finally,  the  enemy  betokened  his  efforts  as  passed,  by 
converting  his  charges  into  an  ordinary  line  fight  of  musketry,  em 
bracing  the  whole  front  of  the  brigade;  for  by  this  time  he  was 
enabled  to  do  so,  from  Thompson's  pieces  having  been  withdrawn, 
after  expending  their  canister  and  becoming  tired  of  the  futility  of 
round  shot.  It  may  have  been  at  that  time  about  seven  and  a  half 
P.  M.  Full  daylight  remained,  and  anticipating  that  the  enemy, 
foiled  in  the  attempt  to  carry  the  New  Market  road  and  adjacent 
open  ground,  would  next  hazard  an  attack  towards  the  Charles  City 
road,  or  intermediate  woods,  my  attention  was  called  there.  I  there 
fore  left  every  thing  progressing  steadily  on  the  left,  and  visited  the 
entire  line  to  the  right.  Notwithstanding  that  the  line  was  long,  and 
that  no  reserves,  excepting  the  weak  Third  Michigan,  existed,  the 


RETORT    OF    CHARLES    CITY    CROSS    ROADS.  361 

cheerful  manner  and  solid  look  of  Birney's  brigade  gave  assurance 
of  their  readiness  to  be  measured  with  the  foe ;  and  they  met  my 
warning  of  the  coming  storm  with  loud  cheers  of  exultation. 

Half  an  hour  or  forty  minutes  may  have  been  thus  passed.  I 
then  returned  to  the  extreme  left  of  my  line.  Arriving  there,  I 
found  that  Colonel  Hayes  had  been  relieved  by  Colonel  Barlow,  with 
the  Sixty-first  New  York, — the  head  of  General  Caldwell's  brigade, 
sent  to  me  from  Sumner's  corps,  and  which  had  reported  to  General 
Robinson. 

Almost  in  the  commencement  of  the  action,  within  the  first  half 
hour,  as  I  had  plainly  foreseen  and  warned  my  superior,  General 
Heintzelman,  and  General  Humphreys'  engineer,  who  most  kindly 
had  gone  over  the  line  with  me,  every  man  was  engaged,  or  in  posi 
tion,  or  in  close  support.  The  Eighty-seventh  New  York  volunteers 
had  been  ordered  by  General  Heintzelman  to  Brackett's  ford,  and 
the  First  New  York  was  diverted  from  me  by  a  misapprehension 
of  Colonel  Dyckman.  This  fact  I  announced  to  General  Heintzel 
man,  without  asking  reinforcements,  since  I  did  not  conceive  them 
necessary ;  nor  would  they  have  been,  but  for  the  diverting  of  my 
"First  New  York  volunteers,  a  very  strong  regiment,  to  General 
McCall. 

The  Sixty-first  New  York  volunteers,  under  its  most  intrepid 
leader,  Colonel  Barlow,  vied  with  the  brave  regiment  he  had  relieved, 
and,  charging  the  enemy,  bore  off  as  a  trophy  one  of  his  colors.  It 
had  subsequently  taken  up  its  position  to  the  left  of  the  One-hundred- 
and-fifth  Pennsylvania,  and  been  subsequently  retired,  but  none  ap 
pointed  to  take  its  place,  that  breastwork  being  left  unoccupied. 

It  was  at  this  juncture  that  I  arrived  from  my  right.  Finding 
McCall's  position  abandoned,  although  not  occupied  by  the  enemy, 
I  placed  in  it  the  First  New  Jersey  brigade,  General  Taylor.  I  then 
knew  it  to  be  in  true  hands.  I  observed  that,  while  the  enemy  was 
amusing  my  entire  front  with  an  ordinary  musket  fire,  strong  parties 
of  rebel  skirmishers,  in  the  gloom  of  the  evening,  rendered  dense 
by  the  murky  fog  and  the  smoke,  were  feeling  their  way  slowly  and 
distrustfully  to  the  unoccupied  parapet.  Galloping  back  to  find  the 
nearest  troops,  I  met  General  Caldwell,  who,  under  General  McCall's 
supervision,  was  putting  two  or  more  of  his  regiments  into  line,  to 
the  right  of  the  road,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  rear  of  the  breastworks, 

46 


362  APPENDIX. 

to  move  up  in  order.  Circumstances  denied  this  delay ;  and,  accord 
ingly,  I  directed  General  Caldwell  to  lead  a  wing  of  a  regiment  at 
double-quick  up  the  road,  to  open  on  these  rebel  skirmishers.  This 
was  done  promptly ;  but  from  their  being  foreigners,  not  with  a  full 
comprehension,  and  embarrassed  by  the  darkness,  they  fired  at  the 
rebels,  but  in  the  direction  of  others  of  my  own  line ;  and  thus,  after 
the  enemy  was  swept  off  the  arena,  it  left  for  some  little  time  our  troops 
firing  at  each  other.  To  increase  this  confusion,  the  residue  of  the 
brigade,  who  had  not  filed  into  the  woods  and  formed  on  the  road, 
opened  on  us  all  who  were  in  front.  It  is  my  impression  that 
General  McCall  must  have  been  killed  by  this  fire. 

The  errors  of  cross-firing  having  at  last  subsided,  the  Fifth  Michi 
gan  gallantly  crossed  the  parapets  and  pursued  the  retiring  enemy. 
The  Eighty-first  Pennsylvania  then,  nobly  responding  to  my  orders, 
gallantly  led  by  Lieutenant-colonel  Connor  and  Captain  Miles  of 
General  Caldwell's  staff,  dashed  over  the  parapets,  pursued,  charged, 
and  by  a  few  vigorous  volleys  finished  the  battle  at  nine  and  a  half 
o'clock  at  night.  I  remained  much  longer  on  the  field,  and  then  re 
ported  to  General  Heintzelman  at  his  quarters. 

In  concluding  my  report  of  this  battle,  one  of  the  most  desperate 
of  the  war, — the  one  most  fatal  if  lost, — I  am  proud  to  give  my 
thanks,  and  to  include  in  the  glory  of  my  own  division,  the  First 
New  Jersey  brigade,  General  Taylor,  which  held  McCall's  deserted 
ground,  and  General  Caldwell,  whose  personal  gallantry  and  the 
bravery  of  whose  regiments  not  only  entitle  them  to  share  in  the 
credit  of  our  victory  but  also  ever  after  engender  full  sympathies 
between  the  two  corps. 

In  this  engagement,  the  coolness  and  judicious  arrangements  of 
General  Birney  influenced  his  whole  command  to  feel  invincible  in 
a  very  weak  position.  General  Berry,  as  usual,  was  active.  The 
fearful  losses  his  noble  regiments  have  sustained,  reducing  them  to 
scarce  two  hundred  to  a  regiment,  oblige  me  to  preserve  such  heroes 
for  the  decisive  moments.  Still,  they  will  not  be  repressed  ;  and  the 
Fifth  Michigan,  under  Major  Fairbanks,  was  the  first  to  pursue  the 
enemy.  I  regret  for  ourselves  that  he,  almost  the  last  of  our  nobly 
distinguished  at  Williamsburg  and  Fair  Oaks,  and  the  forced  advance 
of  June  25th,  is  dangerously  wounded.  I  have  to  state  that  this 
division  has  been  extremely  used.  This  has  prematurely  reduced  to 


REPORT    OF    MALVERN    HILL.  363 

nothing  regiments  of  the  highest  mark.  I  have  reserved  General 
Robinson  for  the  last.  To  him,  this  day,  is  due  above  all  others  in 
the  division,  the  honors  of  the  battle.  The  attack  was  on  his  wing. 
Everywhere  present,  by  personal  supervision  and  noble  example,  he 
secured  us  the  honors  of  victory.  As  to  the  action  of  my  artillery, 
(Battery  G,  Second  U.  S.,)  it  has  never  been  equalled  for  rapidity 
and  precision  of  fire  and  coolness  amidst  great  loss  of  men  and  of 
horses.  The  gallantry  of  its  commander,  Captain  Thompson,  identi 
fies  him  with  its  distinction. 

Our  losses  have  been  severe ;  and  when  it  is  remembered  that  this 
occurs  to  mere  skeletons  of  regiments,  there  is  but  one  observation 
to  be  made :  that  previous  military  history  presents  no  parallel. 
Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

P.  KEARNY, 

Brigadier  general  commanding  Division. 

CAPTAIN  MCKEEVER, 

A.  A.  G.  Third  Army  Corps. 


KEARNY'S  REPORT   OF  MALVERN   HILL. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION  THIRD  ARMY  CORPS, 
July  6,  1862. 

CAPTAIN  : — 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  that,  at  the  close  of  the  battle  on  the 
New  Market  road,  our  men  remained  in  position  until  midnight,  when 
orders  were  brought  from  General  Heintzelman  to  effect  a  retreat,  as 
General  Franklin  had  already  abandoned  his  position. 

This  movement  was  effected  quietly  and  rapidly  by  the  troops,  but 
at  some  sacrifice,  from  the  want  of  transportation ;  and  by  daylight 
we  were  in  a  newer  and  stronger  position. 

It  was  toward  noon  when  the  battle  was  renewed  at  Malvern  Hill. 
In  this  battle  all  our  regiments  were  on  the  alert  and  under  artillery- 
fire,  and  all  lost  more  or  less  from  the  enemy's  shelling.  None  but 
our  artillery  and  skirmishers  were  immediately  engaged.  Captain 
Thompson  managed  his  battery  with  the  full  genius  of  that  arm, 


364  APPENDIX. 

whilst  Captain  Randolph,  with  his  Parrot  guns,  punished  all  who 
attacked  him,  silencing  several  times  batteries  that  were  sweeping 
our  front,  or  covering  their  columns  of  attack  on  General  Couch,  to 
our  left. 

The  Fourth  Maine  particularly  distinguished  itself  by  its  coolness 
in  holding  the  ravine  in  our  front,  and  daringly  engaged  the  skir 
mishers  of  the  enemy's  attacking  columns.  Their  loss  was  consider 
able. 

The  brigades  of  Generals  Robinson  and  Berry  were  principally  in 
reserve,  but  were  constantly  sent  forward  in  support,  as  the  tide  of 
battle  swerved  to  and  fro  on  our  left.  The  first  line  was  held  by 
General  Birney  with  coolness  and  firmness,  and  his  regiments,  even 
under  fire,  erected  for  themselves  well -arranged  rifle-pits.  Had  the 
next  day  witnessed  renewal  of  the  battle,  success  was  sure. 

Our  loss  has  been  nine  hundred  and  fifty-one  in  the  several  engage 
ments.  It  was  at  midnight  that  we  were  again  called  upon  to  move 
in  retreat ;  and,  tired  as  we  were  and  all  our  commands,  it  was  again 
executed  with  much  regularity,  and  we  arrived  by  ten  A.  M.  at 
Harrison's  Landing. 

I  am,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

P.  KEARNY, 

Brigadier-general  commanding  Division. 

CAPTAIN  C.  MCKEEVER, 

A.  A.  G.  Third  Corps. 


REPORT    OF    SECOND    BULL    RUN.  365 


KEARNY'S  REPORT  OF  SECOND  BULL  RUN. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  DIVISION  THIRD  ARMY  CORPS, 

CENTREVILLE,  VA.,  August  31,  1862. 

COLONEL  : — 

I  report  the  part  taken  by  my  division  in  the  battles  of  the  two 
previous  days.  On  the  29th,  on  my  arrival,  I  was  assigned  to  the 
holding  of  the  right  wing,  my  left  on  the  Leesburg  road.  I  posted 
Colonel  Poe,  with  Berry's  brigade  in  the  first  line ;  General  Robinson's 
first  brigade  on  his  right,  partly  in  line  and  partly  in  support ;  and 
kept  Birney's  most  disciplined  regiments  reserved  and  ready  for 
emergencies.  Towards  noon  I  was  obliged  to  occupy  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  additional  on  left  of  said  road,  from  Schurz's  troops  being  taken 
elsewhere. 

During  the  first  hours  of  combat,  General  Birney,  on  tried  regi 
ments  in  the  centre  falling  back,  of  his  own  accord  rapidly  pushed 
across  to  give  them  a  hand  to  raise  themselves  to  a  renewed  fight. 

In  early  afternoon,  General  Pope's  order,  per  General  Roberts, 
was,  to  send  a  pretty  strong  force  diagonally  to  the  front,  to  relieve 
the  centre  in  the  woods  from  pressure.  Accordingly,  I  detached  for 
that  purpose,  General  Robinson  with  his  brigade,  the  Sixty -third 
Pennsylvania  volunteers,  Colonel  Hayes;  the  Ons-hundred-and-fifth 
Pennsylvania,  Captain  Craig;  the  Twentieth  Indiana,  Colonel  Brown; 
and,  additionally,  the  Third  Michigan,  under  Colonel  Champlin. 
General  Robinson  drove  forward  for  several  hundred  yards ;  but  the 
centre  of  the  main  battle  being  shortly  after  driven  back  and  out  of 
the  woods,  my  detachment,  thus  exposed  so  considerably,  in  front 
of  all  others,  was  obliged  to  cease  advancing,  and  confine  itself 
to  holding  its  own.  At  five  o'clock,  thinking — though  at  the  risk 
of  exposing  my  fighting  line  to  be  enfiladed — that  I  might  drive  the 
enemy  by  an  unexpected  attack  through  the  woods,  I  brought  up  in 
addition  the  most  of  Birney's  regiments — the  Fourth  Maine,  Colonel 
Walker  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Carver;  the  Fortieth  New  York, 
Colonel  Egan;  First  New  York,  Major  Burt;  and  One-hundred-and- 
first  New  York,  Lieutenant-colonel  Gesner — and  changed  front  to 
the  left,  to  sweep  with  a  rush  the  first  line  of  the  enemy.  This  was 


366 


APPENDIX. 


most  successful.  The  enemy  rolled  up  on  his  right ;  it  presaged  a 
victory  for  us;  still  our  force  was  too  light.  The  enemy  brought 
up  rapidly  heavy  reserves,  so  that  our  further  progress  was  impeded. 
General  Stevens  came  up  gallantly  in  action  to  support  us,  but  did 
not  have  the  numbers. 

On  the  morning  of  the  30th,  General  Eicketts,  with  two  brigades, 
relieved  me  of  my  extra  charge  of  the  left  of  the  road,  and  I  again 
concentrated  my  command.  We  took  no  part  in  the  fighting  of  the 
morning,  although  we  lost  men  by  an  enfilading  fire  of  the  enemy's 
batteries.  A  sudden  and  unaccountable  evacuation  of  the  field,  by 
the  left  and  centre,  occurring  about  five  P.  M.,  on  orders  from  Gen 
eral  Pope,  I  massed  my  troops  at  a  point  indicated ;  but  soon  re-occupied 
with  Birney's  brigade,  supported  by  Robinson's,  a  very  advanced 
block  of  woods.  The  key -point  of  this  new  line  rested  on  the  brown 
house,  towards  the  creek.  This  was  held  by  regiments  of  other 
brigades.  Soon,  however,  themselves  attacked,  they  ceded  ground, 
and  retired  without  warning  us.  I  maintained  my  position  until  ten, 
P.  M.,  when,  in  connection  with  Generals  Reno  and  Gibbons — as 
signed  to  the  rear  guard — I  retired  my  brigades. 

My  command  arrived  at  Centreville  in  good  order  at  two  A.  M. 
this  morning,  and  encamped  in  front  of  the  Centreville  forts.  My 
loss  in  killed  and  wounded  is  over  seven  hundred  and  fifty — about 
one  in  three ;  in  some  regiments  engaged  a  great  deal  severer :  in 
the  Third  Michigan  one  hundred  and  forty  out  of  two  hundred  and 
sixty.  None  were  taken  prisoner,  except  my  engineer  officer,  Lieu 
tenant  Briscoe,  who  returned  to  the  house  supposed  to  be  held  by 
the  troops  alluded  to. 

It  makes  me  proud  to  dwell  on  the  renewed  efforts  of  my  generals 
of  brigades,  Birney  and  Robinson.  My  regiments  all  did  well ;  and  the 
remiss  in  camp  seemed  brightest  in  the  field.  Besides  my  old,  tried 
regiments,  which  have  been  previously  noted  in  former  actions  and 
maintained  their  prestige,  I  have  to  mark  the  One-hundred-and-first 
New  York  and  Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  as  equalling 
all  their  comrades  have  done  before.  Their  commanders,  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Gesner  and  Major  Birney,  have  imparted  to  them  the  stamp 
of  their  own  high  character.  The  Sixty-third  Pennsylvania  and 
Fortieth  New  York  volunteers,  under  the  brave  Colonel  Egan,  suf 
fered  most.  The  gallant  Hayes  is  badly  wounded.  The  loss  of 


REPORT    OF    SECOND    BULL    RUN.  367 

officers  is  great.  That  of  Colonel  Brown  can  hardly  be  replaced. 
Brave,  skillful,  a  disciplinarian,  full  of  energy,  and  a  charming 
gentleman,  his  Twentieth  Indiana  must  miss  him  sadly.  In  him 
the  country  loses  one  who  promised  to  fill  worthily  a  high  trust. 
The  Third  Michigan,  ever  faithful  to  their  name,  under  Colonel 
Champlin  and  Major  Pierce,  lost  one  hundred  and  forty  out  of  two 
hundred  and  sixty  combatants.  Colonel  Champlin  is  again  disabled. 
The  staunch  Fourth  Maine,  under  Walker  and  Carver,  true  men  of  a 
rare  type,  drove  on  through  the  stream  of  battle  irresistibly.  The 
One-hundred-and-fifth  Pennsylvania  volunteers  were  not  wanting. 
They  are  Pennsylvania's  mountain  men  ;  again  have  they  been  fear 
fully  decimated.  The  desperate  charges  of  these  regiments  sustain 
the  past  history  of  this  division.  Randolph's  battery  of  light  twelves 
was  worked  with  boldness  and  address.  Though  narrowly  watched 
by  three  long-reaching,  enfilading  batteries  of  the  enemy,  it  constantly 
silenced  one  of  theirs  in  its  front,  and  ricocheted  its  shot  and  shell 
into  the  reinforcements  moving  from  the  enemy's  heights  down  into 
the  woods. 

On  the  27th,  with  two  sections  and  Robinson's  first  brigade,  Cap 
tain  Randolph  had  powerfully  contributed  to  the  success  of  General 
Hooker  at  Bristow  Station. 

Captain  Graham's  First  U.  S.  Artillery,  put  at  General  Siegel's  dis 
position,  as  repeatedly  drove  the  enemy  back  into  the  woods  as  the 
giving  away  of  the  infantsy  left  his  front  unobstructed.  His  practice 
was  beautifully  correct,  and  proved  irresistible.  On  the  31st,  Cap 
tain  Graham,  not  being  required  on  the  right,  was  sent  to  the  extreme 
left,  and  rendered  important  services  with  General  Reno,  firing  until 
late  at  night. 

Lieutenant  ,  a  German  officer  of  distinction,  put  at  my  dis 
posal  by  General  Siegel,  with  two  long-range  Parrot  guns,  covered 
our  right  flank  and  drove  off  an  enemy's  battery  and  regiments. 
I  name  these  officers  as  ornaments  to  their  branch  of  the  service. 

I  must  refer  to  General  Hooker  to  render  justice  to  the  part  taken 
by  my  first  brigade,  under  General  Robinson,  and  Randolph's  bat 
tery,  in  the  affair  of  the  27th  at  Bristow  Station. 

Again  I  am  called  on  to  mention  the  efficiency  of  my  staff.  Cap 
tain  Mindil,  often  cited,  brave  and  intelligent,  was  the  only  military 
aide  present  to  assist  me,  but  Surgeon  Pancoast,  medical  director  of 


368  APPENDIX. 

the  division,  not  only  insured  the  promptness  of  his  department,  but 
with  heroism  and  aptitude  carried  for  me  my  orders. 
Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

P.  KEARNY, 

Major-general  commanding  Division. 

LIEUTENANT- COLONEL  C.  MCKEEVER, 

Chief  of  Staff  Third  Army  Corps. 


BIRNEY.'S  REPORT   OF   CHANTILLY. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  DIVISION,  THIRD  CORPS, 

FORT  LYON,  VA.,  September  4, 1862. 

COLONEL : — 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  the  part  taken  by  this  division  in  the 
battle  at  Chantilly,  between  Centreville  and  Fairfax  Court  House,  on 
Monday,  September  1st. 

The  division  reached  Chantilly  at  about  five  o'clock,  P.  M.,  under 
orders  from  General  Heintzelman  to  support  General  Reno,  and  found 
him  actually  engaged  with  the  enemy.  Under  orders  from  General 
Kearny  I  reported  my  brigade  to  General  Reno,  and  by  him  was 
ordered  to  the  front.  On  reaching  that  point,  I  found  the  division  of 
General  Stevens  retiring  in  some  disorder  before  the  enemy;  the 
officers  in  command  of  regiments  stating  that  their  ammunition  had 
been  exhausted.  I  immediately  ordered  forward  the  Fourth  Maine 
volunteers,  which  gallantly  advanced,  and  was  soon  in  active  conflict, 
and  successively  took  forward  the  One-hundred-and-first  New  York, 
Third  Maine,  Fortieth  New  York,  and  First  New  York  regiments. 
These  held  the  enemy,  and  sustained  unflinchingly  the  most  mur 
derous  fire. 

At  this  juncture,  General  Kearny  reached  the  hill,  with  Ran 
dolph's  battery,  and,  placing  it  in  position,  aided  my  brigade  by  a 
well-directed  fire.  I  then  pointed  out  to  the  General  a  gap  on  my 
right,  caused  by  the  retreat  of  Stevens'  division,  and  asked  for  Berry's 
brigade  to  fill  it.  He  rode  forward  to  examine  the  ground,  and,  dash- 


REPORT    OF    CHANTILLY.  3G9 

ing  past  our  lines  into  those  of  the  enemy,  fell  a  victim  to  his  gallant 
daring. 

I  sent  forward  the  Thirty-eighth  New  York  and  Fifty-seventh 
Pennsylvania  to  complete  our  victory.  They  advanced  gallantly; 
and  when  night  closed,  my  brigade  was  in  full  possession  of  the 
battle-field  on  which  it  was  engaged. 

General  Kearny  not  returning,  and  supposing  that  he  had  been 
taken  prisoner,  I  assumed  the  command  of  the  division ;  and,  order 
ing  forward  Eobinson's  and  Berry's  brigades,  relieved  my  tired  regi 
ments  and  held  the  battle-ground  until  three  o'clock  A.  M.,  at  which 
time  the  division  followed  the  corps  of  General  Eeno  to  Fairfax 
Court  House. 

During  the  night  we  removed  our  wounded.  Our  loss  has  been 
heavy. 

I  was  ably  supported  by  the  commanding  officers  of  my  regiments, 
all  of  whom  sustained  the  high  character  accorded  by  our  late,  la 
mented  commander  in  his  report  of  Friday's  engagement.  Lieu 
tenants  Lee  and  Phillips,  of  my  staff,  deserve  especial  mention  for 
their  untiring  efforts  in  carrying  my  orders  to  all  parts  of  the  field. 
I  have  mentioned  these,  in  previous  reports,  for  gallantry.  Eobin 
son's  brigade  had  been  placed  upon  the  left  of  my  brigade  by  Gen 
eral  Kearny,  to  support  Graham's  battery.  It  was  not,  unfortunately, 
called  upon  to  engage  the  enemy,  but  assisted  greatly,  with  Berry's 
brigade,  during  the  night,  in  holding  the  field  in  face  of  a  vastly 
superior  force  of  the  enemy.  I  was  much  indebted  to  General  Eob- 
inson  and  to  Colonel  Poe,  commanding  Berry's  brigade,  for  their 
prompt  assistance  and  the  gallant  bearing  of  their  tried  command? 
I  am,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

D.  B.  BIENEY, 

Brigadier-general  commanding  Division 

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL  MCKEEVER, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general,  Third  Army  Corps. 


47 


370  APPENDIX. 


BIRNEY'S   REPORT   OF   FREDERICKSBURG. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  DIVISION,  THIRD  CORPS, 

CAMP  PITCHER,  December  17,  1862. 

CAPTAIN  : — 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  the  operations  of  this  division  on  the 
13th,  14th,  and  15th  instants,  as  follows : 

My  division  reached  the  river  at  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the 
13th,  and  remained  massed  on  the  heights  until  half-past  ten  A.  M., 
when  Captain  Sumner,  of  General  Stoneman's  staff,  delivered  me  an 
order  to  cross  with  my  division,  and  report  with  it,  on  the  left,  to 
General  Reynolds. 

The  head  of  the  division  reached  the  field  designated,  at  half- 
past  eleven  o'clock  A-  M.  I,  upon  reporting  in  person  to  General 
Reynolds,  was  ordered  to  deploy  my  division  in  the  field  in  rear  of 
General  Meade's  division,  as  a  support  to  the  intended  attack  by  that 
division.  The  road  bounding  the  rear  of  the  field  was  edged  with 
high  embankments,  with  ditches  next  to  the  road,  some  six  feet  deep. 
Through  this  embankment  were  two  narrow  wagon-ways,  making  it 
impossible  to  retire  from  the  field  except  by  the  flank. 

Ward's  brigade  on  the  right,  and  Berry's  brigade  on  the  left,  were 
deployed  in  two  lines,  leaving  Robinson's  brigade,  which  had  not  yet 
reached  the  field,  as  a  reserve. 

The  enemy's  batteries  commanded  the  open  field,  and  General 
Reynolds  ordered  me  to  retire  my  command  from  the  field,  holding 
it  in  hand  behind  the  embankments.  When  the  movement  conse 
quent  on  this  order  was  half  completed,  General  Meade's  division 
was  being  severely  pressed,  and  he  sent  to  me  for  assistance.  I 
immediately  reversed  the  movement  of  Ward's  brigade,  placing  the 
Ninety-ninth  Pennsylvania,  Colonel  Leidy,  Fifty-seventh  Pennsyl 
vania,  Colonel  Campbell,  and  Fifty-fifth  New  York,  Colonel  De 
Trobriand,  in  support  of  Meade's  batteries,  ordering  forward  the 
Thirty-eighth  New  York,  Lieutenant-colonel  Birney,  Fortieth  New 
York,  Lieutenant-colonel  Gesner,  and  Fourth  Maine,  Colonel  Walker, 
under  General  Ward,  to  the  support  of  the  disordered  troops  in 
front. 


REPORT    OF    FREDERICKSBURG.  371 

I  returned  Berry's  brigade  to  its  position  on  the  left.  The  bat 
teries  attached  to  Meade's  division  having  exhausted  their  ammu 
nition,  I  ordered  forward  to  relieve  them,  Kandolph's  and  Living 
ston's  batteries,  belonging  to  this  division,  and  they  went  immediately 
into  action,  under  my  chief  of  artillery,  Captain  Kandolph,  of  the 
Ehode  Island  artillery. 

Finding  that  Meade's  and  Gibbon's  divisions  were  in  full  retreat, 
I  sent  forward  Colonel  Campbell,  with  the  Fifty- seventh  Pennsyl 
vania  volunteers,  to  report  to  General  Ward,  and  to  support  my 
advanced  regiments,  and  ordered  the  Third  Maine  and  Fifty-fifth 
New  York  regiments  in  the  field  to  the  right,  to  support  one  of 
General  Gibbon's  batteries.  The  retreating  troops  poured  through 
my  ranks,  and,  at  General  Meade's  request,  I  ordered  the  Ninety- 
ninth  Pennsylvania,  Colonel  Leidy,  on  the  field  to  the  right,  to  try 
and  stop  his  troops.  It  was  useless,  as  they  sullenly  and  resolutely 
marched  to  the  rear. 

The  enemy  now  appeared  in  full  force  upon  my  entire  front,  with 
a  brigade  deployed  in  line  and  one  doubled  on  the  centre  on  each 
flank,  and  charged  upon  the  four  batteries  under  my  command.  Gen 
eral  Berry,  at  my  orders,  sent  me  the  Seventeenth  Maine  volunteers 
to  support  the  batteries,  and  advanced  his  line  to  front  and  right,  to 
fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  sending  forward  a  portion  of  Ward's 
brigade.  General  Gibbon's  batteries  having  withdrawn,  and  his  divi 
sion  not  being  in  sight  on  my  right,  I  advanced  the  Ninety-ninth 
Pennsylvania,  Colonel  Leidy,  Third  Maine,  Colonel  Lakeman,  and 
Fifty-fifth  New  York,  Colonel  De  Trobriand,  to  form  the  right. 

The  Fifth  Michigan,  Lieutenant-colonel  Gillesley,  Thirty-seventh 
New  York,  Colonel  Hayrnan,  One-hundred-and-first  New  York, 
Colonel  Chester,  and  Seventeenth  Maine,  Colonel  Eoberts,  under  com 
mand  of  Brigadier-general  Berry,  met  the  brunt  of  the  attack  and 
poured  a  withering  fire  into  their  line.  The  portion  of  Ward's 
brigade  on  the  right  of  the  road  did  gallant  service  by  its  oblique 
fire. 

General  Ward,  now  returning  with  his  thinned  veteran  regiments, 
was  ordered  by  me  to  the  right ;  and,  reforming  his  lines,  held  an 
imposing  attitude  with  his  gallant  command. 

Kobinson's  brigade  now  arriving,  I  ordered  immediately  to  the 
front  and  centre  his  two  first  regiments,  the  One-hundred-and-four- 


372  APPENDIX. 

teenth  Pennsylvania,  Colonel  Collis,  and  Sixty-third  Pennsylvania, 
Major  Danks,  who  poured  a  most  effective  and  galling  fire  into  the 
now  retreating  foe. 

The  enemy  being  repulsed,  I  formed  new  lines:  Berry's  brigade 
on  the  left,  Eobinson's  brigade  in  the  centre,  and  Ward's  brigade  on 
the  right,  with  my  two  batteries  on  the  crest  of  the  hill,  receiving  also 
the  efficient  aid  of  the  batteries  of  Captains  Cooper  and  Leprieu,  of 
General  Reynolds'  command.  During  the  remainder  of  Saturday, 
the  firing  was  constant  between  pickets  and  the  advanced  lines.  The 
enemy  holding  the  edge  of  the  woods,  the  railroad  embankment, 
rifle-pits,  and  ditches  in  our  front,  at  three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  I  ordered 
skirmishers  to  advance  and  seize  a  ditch  parallel  with  my  front. 
They  did  so,  gallantly  capturing  in  the  ditch  some  sixty  prisoners. 
At  four  and  a  half  o'clock,  P.  M.,  the  enemy,  uncovering  ten  guns 
on  the  hill  opposite  my  left,  opened  a  concentrated  fire  on  Double- 
day's  division.  My  chief  of  artillery  directed  the  fire  of  the  two 
division  batteries,  and,  aided  by  Leprieu's  battery  on  my  left,  silenced 
the  guns  in  twenty  minutes.  The  enemy  then  opened  upon  our  left 
a  battery  of  Whitworth  guns  that  enfiladed  my  command,  which 
annoyed  us  greatly. 

At  five  o'clock,  P.  M.,  General  Reynolds  sent  to  me  orders  to  take 
command  of  the  entire  front.  During  Saturday  night,  Sunday  and 
Monday,  my  tired  regiments  remained  without  a  murmur  on  the  field, 
(lying  on  the  damp  ground,)  without  blankets,  and  exposed  to  the 
most  galling  fire  from  the  sharpshooters. 

During  Monday  afternoon,  an  informal  arrangement  was  made,  on 
the  suggestion  of  General  Ewell,  commanding  the  forces  opposite,  to 
stop  the  picket  firing.  This  was  done ;  and  our  commands,  within 
one  hundred  yards  of  each  other,  passed  Sunday  night  and  Monday 
without  firing  a  shot. 

On  Monday  night,  under  orders  from  General  Stoneman,  this  divi 
sion  was  withdrawn  in  good  order  without  loss  of  public  property. 

I  have  to  mark  out  for  the  high  commendation  of  the  General - 
in-chief,  Generals  Berry,  Robinson  and  Ward.  To  their  reputation, 
established  on  other  fields,  they  have  added  greater  lustre. 

My  regiments  all  did  well,  and  the  new  regiments  equalled  all 
their  comrades  have  done  before.  The  loss  of  officers  is  great,  and 
shows  that  they  were  at  their  posts. 


THE    EMANCIPATION    PROCLAMATION.  373 

Randolph's  and  Livingston's  batteries  did  admirably ;  and  Captain 
Randolph,  as  chief  of  division  artillery,  was  then,  as  always,  skillful, 
prudent,  daring,  and  contributed  greatly  to  the  result.  Between  his 
batteries  and  this  division  there  exists  the  strongest  attachment. 

There  are  many  instances  of  heroism  and  gallantry  entitling  the 
persons  to  distinction.  Their  names  will  be  promptly  forwarded. 
My  staff  was  very  efficient,  and  exercised  a  great  influence  on  the 
result.  Captain  F.  E.  Bliss,  commissary  of  subsistence,  volunteered 
his  services  in  the  field,  and  was  indefatigable.  Lieutenant  Briscoe, 
my  engineer  officer,  rendered  also  the  most  efficient  aid,  and  the  maps 
annexed  to  illustrate  my  report  are  from  his  field  notes. 

Colonel  Campbell,  Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  with  his 
arm  still  in  a  sling  from  Fair  Oaks,  fell,  severely  wounded.  I  would 
ask  that  one  of  the  new  regiments  be  assigned  to  this  division,  and 
that  my  request  for  the  consolidation  of  some  of  my  skeleton  regi 
ments  be  duly  considered. 

I  am  your  obedient  servant, 

D.  B.  BIRNEY, 

Brigadier-general  commanding  Division. 

CAPTAIN  ALEXANDER, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general,  Third  Corps. 


THE  EMANCIPATION   PROCLAMATION. 

BY  THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA: 
A   PROCLAMATION. 

WHEREAS,  on  the  twenty-second  day  of  September,  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty -two,  a  proclamation 
was  issued  by  the  President  of  the  United  States  containing  among 
other  things  the  following,  to  wit : 

"  That  on  the  first  day  of  January,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty -three,  all  persons  held  as  slaves 
within  any  State,  or  designated  part  of  a.  State,  the  people  whereof 
shall  then  be  in  rebellion  against  the  United  States,  shall  be  then, 
thenceforth  and  forever  free ;  and  the  Executive  Government  of  the 


374  APPENDIX. 

United  States,  including  the  military  and  naval  authorities  thereof, 
will  recognize  and  maintain  the  freedom  of  such  persons,  and  will 
do  no  act  or  acts  to  repress  such  persons,  or  any  of  them,  in  any 
efforts  they  may  make  for  their  actual  freedom. 

"  That  the  Executive  will,  on  the  first  day  of  January  aforesaid, 
by  proclamation,  designate  the  States  and  parts  of  States,  if  any,  in 
which  the  people  therein  respectively  shall  then  be  in  rebellion 
against  the  United  States;  and  the  fact  that  any  State,  or  the  people 
thereof,  shall  on  that  day  be  in  good  faith  represented  in  the  Con 
gress  of  the  United  States  by  members  chosen  thereto,  at  elections 
wherein  a  majority  of  the  qualified  voters  of  such  States  shall  have 
participated,  shall,  in  the  absence  of  strong  countervailing  testimony, 
be  deemed  conclusive  evidence  that  such  State  and  the  people  thereof 
are  not  then  in  rebellion  against  the  United  States." 

Now,  therefore,  I,  Abraham  Lincoln,  President  of  the  United 
States,  by  virtue  of  the  power  in  me  vested  as  Commander-in-chief 
of  the  Army  and  Navy  of  the  United  States  in  time  of  actual  armed 
rebellion  against  the  authority  and  Government  of  the  United  States, 
and  a  fit  and  necessary  war  measure  for  suppressing  said  rebellion, 
do,  on  this  first  day  of  January,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thou 
sand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-three,  and  in  accordance  with  my 
purpose  so  to  do,  publicly  proclaimed  for  the  full  period  of  one 
hundred  days  from  the  day  of  the  first  above-mentioned  order,  and 
designate,  as  the  States  and  parts  of  States  wherein  the  people  there 
of  respectively  are  this  day  in  rebellion  against  the  United  States, 
the  following,  to  wit:  Arkansas,  Texas,  Louisiana,  except  the  par 
ishes  of  St.  Bernard,  Plaquemines,  Jefferson,  St.  John,  St.  James, 
Ascension,  Assumption,  Terre  Bonne,  Lafourche,  St.  Mary,  St. 
Marrin,  and  Orleans,  including  the  city  of  New  Orleans ;  Mississippi, 
Alabama,  Florida,  Georgia,  South  Carolina,  North  Carolina,  and 
Virginia,  except  the  forty-eight  counties  designated  as  West  Vir 
ginia,  and  also  the  counties  of  Berkeley,  Accornac,  Northampton, 
Elizabeth  City,  York,  Princess  Ann,  and  Norfolk,  including  the  cities 
of  Norfolk  and  Portsmouth,  and  which  excepted  parts  are,  for  the 
present,  left  precisely  as  if  this  proclamation  were  not  issued. 

And  by  virtue  of  the  power  and  for  the  purpose  aforesaid,  I  do 
order  and  declare  that  all  persons  held  as  slaves  within  said  desig 
nated  States  and  parts  of  States  are  and  henceforward  shall  be  free ; 


THE    EMANCIPATION    PROCLAMATION.  375 

and  that  the  Executive  Government  of  the  United  States,  including 
the  military  and  naval  authorities  thereof,  will  recognize  and  main 
tain  the  freedom  of  said  persons. 

And  I  hereby  enjoin  upon  the  people  so  declared  to  be  free  to 
abstain  from  all  violence,  unless  in  necessary  self-defence,  and  I 
recommend  to  them  that  in  all  cases,  when  allowed,  they  labor  faith 
fully  for  reasonable  wages. 

And  I  further  declare  and  make  known  that  such  persons,  of 
suitable  condition,  will  be  received  into  the  armed  service  of  the 
United  States,  to  garrison  forts,  positions,  stations,  and  other  places, 
and  to  man  vessels  of  all  sorts  in  said  service. 

And  upon  this,  sincerely  believed  to  be  an  act  of  justice,  war 
ranted  by  the  Constitution,  upon  military  necessity,  I  invoke  the 
considerate  judgment  of  mankind  and  the  gracious  favor  of  Almighty 
God. 

In  witness  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  caused  the 
seal  of  the  United  States  to  be  affixed. 

Done  at  the  city  of  Washington,  this  first  day  of  January,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty- 
[L.  s.]     three,  and   of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States   of 
America  the  eighty-seventh. 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN. 
By  the  President : 

WILLIAM  H.  SEWAKD, 

Secretary  of  State. 


376  APPENDIX. 


BIRNEY'S  REPORT  OF  CHANCELLORSVILLE 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  DIVISION  THIRD  CORPS, 
May  9,  1863. 

COLONEL  : — 

I  have  the  honor  to  report,  for  the  information  of  the  major-general 
commanding  the  corps,  the  part  performed  by  this  division  in  the 
recent  operations  against  the  enemy. 

The  division  moved  from  its  camp  on  the  29th  April,  at  four 
o'clock,  P.  M.,  and  by  a  route  through  the  ravines  reached  the  posi 
tion  assigned  to  it,  some  four  miles  below  Fredericksburg,  near  the 
river,  and  bivouacked.  On  the  30th  April  my  command  advanced 
to  a  position  immediately  in  rear  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  and  near  the 
bridges  used  by  it.  At  two  o'clock,  P.  M.,  I  received  orders  from 
the  major-general  commanding  corps  to  march  my  division  to  the 
United  States  ford,  and  cross  it  by  half-past  seven  o'clock,  A.  M., 
next  day,  taking  care  to  move  through  the  ravines,  concealing  my 
troops  from  the  enemy.  I  reached  "  Hammett's  "  on  the  "VYarrenton 
turnpike,  at  eleven  and  a  half  o'clock,  P.  M.,  and  bivouacked.  The 
march  was  resumed  on  the  first  day  of  May,  at  five  and  a  half 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  crossing  the  bridges  at  United  States  ford  at  seven 
and  a  half  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  reaching  a  point  near  Chancellorsville 
at  about  eleven  o'clock,  A.  M. 

At  one  o'clock,  P.  M.,  under  orders  from  Major-general  Sickles, 
I  sent  Graham's  brigade  and  Turnbull's  battery  to  Dowdall's  tavern 
to  take  position,  sending  with  them  Lieutenant  Briscoe  of  my  staff'. 
Upon  reaching  the  tavern  indicated,  General  Graham  was  told  by 
Major-general  Howard  that  there  was  some  mistake  in  the  brigade 
and  battery  being  sent  there,  as  he  was  sufficiently  strong,  and  they 
would  interfere  with  the  disposition  of  his  own  forces,  which  were 
ample. 

Brigadier-general  Graham  reported  this  to  me,  and  I  immediately 
sent  the  information  to  Major-general  Sickles,  and  was  ordered  to 
permit  the  troops  to  remain  there  for  the  present. 

At  five  o'clock,  P.  M.,  the  enemy  attacking  General  Slocum's  front, 
I  took  position  in  the  rear  of  the  Chancellor  House  with  Ward's  and 


REPORT    OF    CHANCELLORSVILLE.  377 

Ilajman's  brigades,  and  sent  to  the  tavern  for  Graham  to  return. 
When  Graham's  brigade  reported,  a  position  was  assigned  to  it  in 
support  of  one  of  General  Slocum's  batteries,  where  it  was  subjected 
to  a  heavy  and  well-directed  artillery  fire.  With  Ward  and  Hay- 
man's  brigades  I  marched  up  the  plank  road  towards  Dowdall's 
tavern,  and  meeting  Generals  Williams  and  Knipe,  of  Slocum's  com 
mand,  and  finding  the  right  of  their  line  weak,  bivouacked  my 
two  brigades  in  its  rear,  and  replaced  two  of  their  regiments  with 
the  Twentieth  Indiana  and  Thirty -seventh  New  York  volunteers, 
throwing  pickets  well  to  the  front,  and  dislodging  the  enemy  from  a 
house  in  the  little  field  in  my  front.  At  daylight  of  May  2d,  after 
consultation  with  Major-general  Howard,  I  occupied  a  line  through 
the  woods  south  of  the  plank  road,  and  connected  with  his  left. 
At  this  time  General  Graham  reported  with  his  brigade.  About 
eight  o'clock  I  reported  to  Major-general  Sickles  that  a  continuous 
column  of  infantry  trains  and  ambulances  was  passing  my  front 
towards  the  right,  and  that  I  should  give  it  a  few  shots  from  Clark's 
rifled  battery.  Sending  a  section  to  a  good  point  in  the  little  field 
in  my  front,  it  opened  with  effect,  the  column  double-quicking  past 
the  point  reached  by  our  shots.  I  then  ordered  the  remainder  of 
the  battery  to  the  same  position,  and  threw  the  column  into  great 
confusion,  as  the  battery  poured  its  well-directed  shot  into  its  midst. 

At  twelve  o'clock,  M.,  I  received  orders  from  Major-general 
Sickles  to  follow  the  enemy,  pierce  the  column,  and  gain  pos 
session  of  the  road  over  which  it  was  passing.  Colonel  Berdan 
reported  to  me  at  the  same  time  with  his  sharpshooters.  The  Twen 
tieth  Indiana,  Colonel  John  Wheeler,  entered  the  woods,  ascending 
the  hill,  driving  the  skirmishers  of  the  enemy  before  them.  We 
quickly  bridged  Scott's  Eun  with  rails,  and  crossing  the  sharp 
shooters,  I  ordered  Colonel  Berdan  to  advance  rapidly  towards  the 
road  at  the  point  we  had  reached  with  our  artillery,  which  was  to  the 
left.  Hay  man's  brigade  was  ordered  to  follow,  and  attack  the  enemy, 
if  found  between  the  point  of  entrance  and  the  road  alluded  to. 

The  firing  increasing,  I  sent  for  Graham's  brigade,  to  keep  my  con 
nections  complete,  and  then  sent  for  Ward's  brigade  as  we  advanced, 
crossing  all  over  the  small  creek,  which  was  some  five  feet  deep,  with 
high  banks.  We  met  with  no  serious  opposition  until  reaching  the 
"Forge,"  which  was  occupied  by  a  company.  Berdan's  Sharpshooters 

48 


378  APPENDIX. 

with  great  skill  captured  this  company.  The  enemy  now  opened  on 
us  with  a  battery  placed  near  Welford's  house,  near  the  road  that  I 
intended  to  take.  I  sent  back  for  Turnbull's  battery,  which  after  an 
exciting  artillery  duel  drove  off  the  enemy.  The  fire  upon  our  left 
flank  from  musketry  was  galling,  and  at  this  point  I  received  orders 
from  Major-general  Sickles  to  wait  for  the  advance  of  General 
Whipple's  division,  and  a  brigade  from  the  Twelfth  Corps  on  my 
left.  I  rode  to  the  rear,  and  pointed  out  to  General  Whipple  the 
position  to  be  taken  by  him  on  my  left.  On  my  return  to  the  front, 
Brigadier-general  Barlow,  commanding  a  brigade  of  the  Eleventh 
Corps,  reported  to  me  that  he  was  on  my  right,  and  had  completed 
the  connection  between  it  and  his  corps.  I  now  sent  forward  the 
Twentieth  Indiana  and  Fifth  Michigan  to  support  the  sharpshooters, 
and  ordered  them  to  advance  towards  the  road.  The  movement  was 
quite  successful,  as  a  capture  of  some  one  hundred  and  eighty  pris 
oners  was  almost  immediately  made  by  the  party.  At  about  half- 
past  six  o'clock,  P.  M.,  I  received  orders  from  Captain  Alexander 
Moore,  of  Major-general  Hooker's  staff)  to  advance  rapidly,  which  I 
did,  taking  the  road,  and,  placing  Randolph's  battery,  which  I  had 
ordered  up  in  position,  poured  a  well-directed  fire  on  the  retreating 
column  of  the  enemy.  In  this  advance  Hayman's  brigade  led,  followed 
by  Graham  and  Ward's,  the  latter  keeping  open  the  connection 
to  the  "Forge."  Sending  out  scouts  I  found  the  enemy  in  some  force 
on  three  sides,  and,  disposing  my  troops  to  meet  attack  from  any 
direction,  I  was  preparing  to  bivouack,  when  I  was  informed  by 
Lieutenant-colonel  Hart,  Assistant  Adjutant-general,  who  had  gal 
lantly  reached  me,  that  our  right,  occupied  by  the  Eleventh  Corps, 
had  given  away  in  entire  disorder,  and  Major-general  Sickles  ordered 
my  immediate  -return. 

I  withdrew  my  command  in  good  order,  using  the  Twentieth 
Indiana  and  Sixty-third  Pennsylvania  as  a  rear  guard,  and  sent  an 
order  to  Brigadier-general  Barlow  to  follow  with  his  brigade.  I 
returned  to  the  field  in  which  I  had  placed  Clark's  battery  in  the 
morning,  and  found  Major-general  Sickles  with  the  batteries  belong 
ing  to  the  corps,  supported  by  some  thousand  cavalry  under  General 
Pleasanton,  with  which  he  had  checked  the  advance  of  the  enemy 
on  the  plank  road.  My  division  was  formed  in  line  of  brigades  in 
rear  of  the  batteries. 


RETORT    OF    CHANCELLORSVILLE.  379 

At  midnight  I  received  an  order  from  Major-general  Sickles  to 
make  necessary  dispositions  to  drive  the  enemy  from  the  woods  in 
our  front,  and  retake  the  plank  road  and  earthworks  on  it.  I  placed 
Ward's  brigade  in  the  front  line,  with  Hay  man's  in  the  second  line,  one 
hundred  yards  in  rear,  and  gave  orders  that  all  pieces  were  to  be 
uncapped  and  not  discharged  until  the  plank  road  and  earthworks 
were  reached.  This  movement  was  by  right  of  companies  to  the 
front,  until  the  enemy's  line  was  reached.  Upon  the  left  of  the 
line  of  battle  a  wide  road  had  been  cut  through  the  woods,  perpen 
dicular  to  the  plank  road,  upon  which  I  sent  in,  by  column  of  com 
panies  at  full  distance,  the  Fortieth  New  York,  Seventeenth  Maine, 
and  Sixty-third  Pennsylvania.  The  movement  was  successfully 
executed,  amidst  the  most  terrific  musketry  and  artillery  fire.  In 
moving  through  the  thick  undergrowth  of  these  close  woods  at  mid 
night,  there  was  necessarily  some  disorder,  but  the  object  was  suc 
cessfully  gained.  Among  those  under  my  immediate  eye  in  this 
movement,  Colonel  Thomas  W.  Bgan  was  distinguished  for  his 
energy,  dash,  and  enthusiasm.  I  would  call  the  attention  of  the 
major-general  commanding  the  corps  to  this  officer,  and  recommend 
his  promotion. 

At  daylight,  Sunday  morning,  I  received  orders  to  follow  Whipple's 
column  in  withdrawing  from  the  field,  and  form  on  the  next  line, 
near  the  plank  road.  Before  my  division  had  left  the  field,  Graham's 
brigade  was  attacked  by  the  enemy,  with  infantry  and  artillery.  It 
however  replied  to  it  and  fell  back  in  good  order.  I  formed  my 
brigades  in  column  of  regiments  just  beyond  the  crest  of  the  hill, 
and,  placing  two  batteries  on  the  crest,  opened  upon  the  enemy,  who 
appeared  on  the  field  from  which  we  had  just  withdrawn.  After  this, 
say  at  six  o'clock,  A.  M.,  I  sent  Graham's  brigade,  composed  of  the 
One-hundred-and -fourteenth,  Fifty-seventh,  Sixty-third,  Sixty-eighth, 
One-hundred-and-fifth  and  One-hundred-and-forty-first  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  called  the  Pennsylvania  brigade,  to  the  front,  to  relieve 
one  of  General  Slocum's  brigades,  which  was  nearly  out  of  ammu 
nition.  It  went  in  gallantly,  and  for  some  two  hours  held  the 
ground,  driving  the  enemy  out  of  some  barricades  that  he  had  taken. 

The  troops  on  the  right  of  the  plank  road  withdrawing,  the  enemy 
flanked  this  brigade,  but,  sending  troops  to  his  rear,  I  led  a  portion 
of  Hayman's  brigade  to  the  charge,  driving  him  back  in  confusion 


380  APPENDIX. 

and   capturing  a  large  number   of  prisoners,   relieving   Graham's 
brigade,  which  was  then  withdrawn  in  good  order. 

During  this  time  Brigadier-general  Ward,  under  orders  from  Major- 
general  Sickles,  had  moved  to  the  right  of  the  plank  road  to  form  on 
the  right  of  Carr's  division,  but  reports  that  he  was  not  able  to  find 
General  Carr  in  the  woods  and  was  ordered  by  Major-general  French 
to  fall  to  his  rear. 

Graham's  and  Hayman's  brigades  continued  to  support  the  artillery 
at  the  Chancellor  House,  until  I  received  orders  to  take  position  in 
the  front  of  the  new  line,  when  they  were  withdrawn.  Ward's  brigade 
had  received  orders  to  support-  an  intended  attack  by  Meagher's 
brigade,  and  moved  again  to  the  left  for  that  purpose,  but  the  order 
was  countermanded.  Taking  the  final  position  assigned  to  my  com 
mand,  with  the  few  tools  within  our  reach  my  men  at  once  intrenched 
themselves,  and  we  remained  subjected  to  the  occasional  fire  of 
sharpshooters  and  artillery  until  Wednesday  morning,  when,  at  four 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  my  division  moved  without  interruption  to  the  rear. 

To  Brigadier-general  Graham,  a  new-corner  in  our  division,  fell 
the  post  of  honor,  and  with  three  new  regiments  in  his  command  I 
looked  with  some  anxiety -for  the  result.  But  braver  men  never 
drew  a  trigger  than  those  in  the  first  brigade,  and  General  Graham 
has  gained  in  this  fight,  by  his  coolness,  firmness  and  enthusiasm, 
the  entire  confidence  of  myself  and  the  division. 

Of  Brigadier  general  Ward  I  need  not  speak  more  than  to  say 
that  he  fully  sustained  all  my  previous  reports  of  him,  in  the  battles 
of  Williamsburg,  Fair  Oaks,  Glendale,  Malvern,  Manassas,  Chantilly, 
and  Fredericksburg. 

Colonel  S.  B.  Hayman,  Thirty-seventh  New  York  volunteers,  com 
manding  third  brigade,  has  been  specially  recommended  by  me  for 
promotion  for  gallantry  on  this  occasion. 

Captain  Clark,  chief  of  artillery  of  the  division,  was  of  great 
service,  and  displayed  skill  and  gallantry  in  the  management  of  his 
batteries. 

Colonels  Tippen,  Madill,  Sides,  Pierce,  Bgan,  Wheeler,  Lieutenant- 
colonels  Kirkwood  and  Sherwood  were  distinguished  for  their  gal 
lantry. 

My  staff  were  efficient.  Major  H.  W.  Brevoort  was  ever  by  my 
side,  and  my  aides-de-camp,  Captain  Fassitt  and  Lieutenants  Briscoe 


THE    KEARNY    MEDALS.  381 

and  Clarke,  snowed  the  greatest  enthusiasm  and  ardor  in  carrying 
my  orders.  Lieutenant  Clarke  was  seriously  wounded.  Captain  Mar- 
kle,  Division  Provost  Marshal,  deserves  much  credit  for  taking  the 
large  number  of  prisoners  captured  by  us  safely  to  the  Provost  Mar 
shal-general.  Captain  Fergus  Walker,  Assistant  Inspector-general, 
acted  as  an  aide,  and  was  very  gallant  and  efficient.  He  received  on 
Sunday  a  serious  wound  in  his  leg. 

The  division  medical  department  under  Surgeon  Lymaii,  Fifty- 
seventh  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  was  admirably  conducted.  The 
wounded  were  immediately  taken  to  the  division  hospital  at  Potomac 
Creek,  where  every  attention  was  bestowed  upon  them.  The  hos 
pital  of  this  division  is  unsurpassed  by  any  field  hospital  in  this 
army. 

Lieutenant  C.  H.  Graves,  Fortieth  New  York,  the  division  ordnance 
officer,  kept  us  well  supplied  with  ammunition,  and  preserved  his 
train  from  capture  during  the  stampede  of  the  Eleventh  Corps. 

The  loss  of  this  command  has  been  heavy,  and  we  mourn  for 
many  good  and  brave  comrades;  but  I  am  happy  to  say  that  the 
division  is  impatient  again  to  meet  the  enemy  with  strengthened 
confidence. 

I  am  your  obedient  servant, 

D.  B.  BIENEY, 

Brigadier-general  commanding  Division. 

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL  0.  H.  HART, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general,  Third  Corps. 


THE   KEARNY   MEDALS. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  DIVISION  THIRD  CORPS, 
May  16, 1863. 

[GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  48.J 

The  Brigadier-general  commanding  division  congratulates  it  on  its 
achievements  of  the  2d  and  3d  of  May.  The  division  pierced  the  cen 
tre  of  the  enemy's  column,  captured  over  seven  hundred  prisoners, 
then  returning,  breaking  through  the  enemy  who  had  closed  in  its 
rear,  executed  successfully  the  order  of  the  Major-general  command- 


382  APPENDIX. 

ing  the  army  to  attack  at  midnight;  then  receiving  the  enemy's 
attack  at  daylight,  held  his  hordes  in  check  and  at  bay  until  ordered 
to  withdraw  and  hold  a  position  of  honor  given  to  it  in  the  front  of 
the  new  line. 

The  division  has  added  to  the  reputation  gained  at  Williamsburg, 
Fair  Oaks,  Glendale,  Malvern,  Manassas,  Chantilly,  and  Fredericks- 
burg,  and  can  now  add  to  those  names  "The  Cedars"  and  " Chancel  - 
lorsville." 

With  strengthened  confidence  in  the  gallant  generals  commanding 
the  corps  and  the  army,  this  division  awaits  with  impatience  the 
order  to  again  meet  the  enemy  of  our  country.  Our  rejoicing  is  min 
gled  with  regret  for  the  slain  and  wounded ;  but  the  recollection  of 
their  bravery  and  martyrdom  will  be  fresh  with  us  evermore  and 
incite  us  to  still  greater  efforts. 

The  Brigadier-general  commanding  division  announces  the  follow 
ing  names  of  meritorious  and  distinguished  non-commissioned  officers 
and  privates,  selected  for  their  gallantry,  as  recipients  of  the  "  Kearny 
Cross,"  the  division  decoration. 

Many  deserving  soldiers  may  have  escaped  the  notice  of  their  com 
manding  officers,  but  in  the  selection  after  the  next  battle  they  will 
doubtless  receive  this  honorable  distinction. 

This  cross  is  in  honor  of  our  old  leader,  and  the  wearers  of  it  will 
always  remember  his  high  standard  of  a  true  and  brave  soldier,  and 
will  never  disgrace  it. 

GRAHAM'S  BRIGADE. 

BANK.  NAME.  CO.  REGIMENT. 

Anna  Etheridge 5th  Michigan. 

Mary  Tepe 114th  Pennsylvania  Vols. 

Private John  Brantz A " 

"      Francis  Hopkins A " 

"      Christian  Robrig A " 

Corporal Andrew  Strotz B u 

"       Samuel  K  Cass B " 

Private William  Werber B " 

Sergeant William  J.  Miller C " 

Color  Sergeant. ..Benjamin  J.  Bayletts C " 

Corporal Michael  Cannon C " 

Sergeant George  W.  Gower D " 

"         Herman  Grasley D ** 

Corporal Brian  Mclaughlin D " 


THE    KEARNY    MEDALS. 


383 


RANK.  NAME.  CO.  REGIMENT. 

Sergeant Andrew  J.  Cunningham E 114th  Pennsylvania  Vols. 

44         .....Henry  C.  Muns E " 

44         John  Guinness E 4' 

44         John  Waterhouse F 4l 

44         Isaac  Fox F " 

Private James  Maguire F " 

44      William  Fowler F " 

Sergeant Joshua  Bates G " 

John  A.  Burk G " 

Private Matthew  Patton G 4t 

Sergeant H.  McCarthy K 4l 

Corporal William  Larky K i4 

Color  Corporal. ..Charles  Borie K 

Sergeant William  J.  Brown A 68th  Pennsylvania  Vols. 

44         James  P.  Frazer A 44 

Private George  B.  Kenney A 44 

Sergeant Elisha  Warne B 44 

41         GeorgeS.  Paul B 44 

Private John  Brown B 

Sergeant Hiram  McAllister C " 

44         George  Smith C " 

44         ...Henry  Mohn D " 

44         Henry  Morgan D 4t 

Private Charles  Collins D " 

Sergeant Charles  Kime E " 

44         Samuel  Wardlaw E " 

44         Castner  Jones F " 

Private Edward  R  Winchell F " 

Corporal Jeremiah  Cowley G 

Private ^William  H.  Hazard G " 

44      Edward  A.  Nutall G " 

Sergeant... David  Allbright H " 

Corporal Peter  J.  Skeen H " 

Private Albert  W.  Burkhart H 4t 

Sergeant... ThomesV.  Miller I " 

Lewis  Meredith I 4t 

Private Henry  Bowers I 44 

Sergeant Jonathan  Neil , K 44 

44         Alexander  H.  Mitchell A 103th  Pennsylvania  Vols. 

44         Samuel  S.  Hayden A 4l 

41         A.  McPherson A 44 

44         John  C.  Kelso B 44 

44         George  Heigs B " 

44         Charles  C.  McCaully B " 

Corporal Andrew  A.  Harley C " 

Private Charles  C.  Weaver C  ...  4t 


384  APPENDIX. 


RANK.  NAME.  CO.  REGIMENT. 

Private Samuel  H.  Mays C 105th  Pennsylvania  Vols. 

Sergeant James  Sylois D " 

Corporal Milton  Graver D " 

Sergeant Josiah  E.  Geiger E u 

Corporal George  Weddle E " 

"         James  M.  Shoal E " 

Sergeant Robert  Doty F " 

Corporal Henry  P.  McKillip F " 

Private Perry  C.  Cupler F ** 

Sergeant George  W.  Harthorne G " 

Private William  D.  Kane G " 

"      Thomas  McRea II " 

"       Robert  Feverly H " 

Sergeant Oliver  C.  Reclick I " 

"         Joseph  Kennier I " 

"         James  Miller K " 

"         George  S.  Reed K " 

Sergeant  Major.. Joseph  G.  Fell 141st  Pennsylvania  Vols. 

Sergeant Edwin  M.  White A " 

Private Benjamin  A.  Oliphant A " 

"       Edwin  Lee A " 

Corporal Josiah  A.  Bosworth B " 

Private Isaac  Potter B " 

Corporal Charles  Scott C " 

Private G.  W.  Fell C " 

"       Seldon  Worth C " 

Sergeant David  C.  Palmer D " 

Corporal -Martin  Berry D " 

Private Jacob  W.  Palmer H " 

"      John  Stockholm II » 

"      Joseph  McShurd H " 

Sergeant S.  S.  Eager F " 

Private A.  J.  Baldwin F " 

"      O.A.Oakley F " 

Sergeant James  H.  Terwillegar :.  G " 

Private Marcus  C.  Roencrantz G " 

"      William  O.  McGreary G " 

Corporal Archibald  Sinclair K " 

"         John  N.Dunham I «« 

Private Alfred  Allen I " 

Corporal James  B.  Ellsworth I " 

Private James  M.  Buch E " 

Corporal George  Gibson A 63d  Pennsylvania  Vols. 

"         Isaac  McKeng A " 

Sergeant David  Strachan B " 

Corporal George  F.  House B " 


THE    KEARNY    MEDALS.  385 

RANK.  NAME.  CO.  REGIMENT. 

Sergeant Henry  Kelly C God  Pennsylvania  Vols. 

Corporal David  Lesseig C 

Private Samuel  Hart C " 

Sergeant Thomas  Cahoon : D 

"         John  C.  Gray D " 

"         Robert  Henry E " 

Corporal John  Heist E 

Private John  Cyphert F 

"      Stewart  W.  Fulton F " 

Sergeant William  R.  Nicholson G " 

Private A.  J.  Moore G " 

Corporal Frank  Johnston G 

Sergeant Peter  Weaver H 

"         HughKenney H " 

Corporal Henry  Campbell H 

"          Philip  Alletrand I " 

Private John  Alletrand I 

"      James  Gallatin ....I " 

"       James  Carney K 

Corporal John  M.  Smith K 

"         Frank  Rafter K " 

Sergeant Charles  P.  Post A 57th  Pennsylvania  Vola. 

Corporal J.  W.  Granger  A " 

" Sumner  E.  Lines A " 

Sergeant Ira  E.  McKnight B " 

Private James  Ramsey B " 

"      Simeon  Halm B " 

Sergeant Jeoria  Allen C " 

"         Michael  Maloy C " 

Private David  Mourihad C " 

Sergeant Walker  Rice E " 

Private Henry  Krcnninger E " 

Corporal M.  A.  Irwin F " 

J.  K.  Hamilton F " 

Sergeant Franklin  Shaw '. H  " 

"         John  Burnsides H " 

Private Amos  Miller., " 

Sergeant Samuel  Shields I " 

Private ...Levi  Christ .* I •  " 

"       Charles  Maxum I " 

Sergeant H.  R.Douglass F " 

"   John  C.Taylor F " 

Private Horace  Sweet K '* 

"      Jonas  Snow K " 

11       William  Murray K " 

49 


386  APPENDIX. 

WARD'S  BRIGADE. 

RAKK  NAME.  CO.  KEGIMENT. 

Sergeant William  Garvie A 38th  New  York  Vols. 

"         Henry  Quinn A 

Corporal George  Traver A 

Sergeant Robinson  Hopper B 

Private Hobart  G.  Acker B 

Sergeant Fritz  Miladophiky C 

"         Jacob  Schaffer C 

Private Henry  Liehte C 

Sergeant John  Brothers D 

Corporal Charles  Stone D 

Sergeant Girtlow  Garing • B 

"         Dennis  McCarthy E 

Corporal Joseph  Walsh E 

Sergeant C.  F.  Morgan F 

»         William  Norris F 

"         Joseph  Meyan G 

Private Louis  Fredolf. G 

Sergeant Robert  Moll H 

Private Jacob  Geiss H 

"       Frederick  Bromaharst H 

Sergeant John  Kavanagh I 

Corporal John  O'Connor I 

Private John  Meister I 

Sergeant William  Germond K 

Corporal Hugh  W.  Burns K 

Sergeant  Major.. Jacob  D.  Bennett 40th  New  York  Vote. 

Sergeant Thomas  Walton A 

Corporal Gustavus  Vass A 

Private Job  Shermann A 

Sergeant Henry  K.  Brown -B 

Color  Sergeant.-.Andrew  J.  Wadleigh B 

Sergeant Allen  Smith C 

«         William  J.  Miller C 

Corporal Daniel  H.  Mayer C 

Sergeant Washington  Peel D 

Private Edward  Clifford D 

Sergeant Edwin  J.  Sweet E  

"         Andrew  Hollywood E • 

"         Thomas  Crawford F 

"         Anthony  Collins F 

"         Philip  M.  Harden G 

Corporal G.  W.  Chamberlain G 

Sergeant Thomas  Braslin II 

"  ...James  Shuter H " 


THE    KEARXY    MEDALS. 


387 


RANK.  NAME.  CO.  REGIMENT. 

Private "William  Gilbert II 40th  New  York  Vols. 

Sergeant William  Moyne I 

Private Isaac  Garrison I 

"      Peter  Farrill I " 

Sergeant William  Edwards K 

"         John  Curtin K " 

"         William  B.  Parris A 3d  Maine  Volunteers. 

Private J.  L.  Little A " 

Sergeant H.  Johnson... B  

Corporal A.  C.  Rowe B " 

Sergeant L.  Crawford C u 

"         G.  M.  Houghton C " 

Corporal D.  Maxey C " 

Sergeant H.  H.  Shaw D " 

Corporal H.  Kennerson D 

Sergeant G.  L.  Chamberlain E " 

Corporal C.  J.  Dalton E u 

Private H.  J.  Roach E " 

Sergeant 0.  M.  Nason F " 

J.  Durgin F " 

Private A.  Luce F " 

Sergeant G.  E.  Davis G " 

"         H.  C.  Webber G  " 

Corporal P.  F.  Rowe H " 

Private R.  Cochrane H u 

Sergeant N.  W.  Jones I " 

Private L.  W.  Brown.... I " 

"      Lemuel  Powell I u 

Sergeant B.  W.  Smart K " 

Corporal A.  G.  Wood K " 

"         W.G.Wilson K " 

Private James  Gall A  , 

"      Horace  Speed A 

Sergeant Henry  0.  Kipley B 

Private Robert  Grant B 

Corporal George  G.Gardner C 

"         Warren  W.  Austin C 

Sergeant James  McLaughlin D 

Corporal Henry  O.  Davis D 

Private Henry  Marshall D 

Corporal William  Barstron E 

"         Nathaniel  Waters E 

"         F.  K.  Chapman E 

Sergeant A.  H.  Rose F 

"        Henry  Leach F  

"  F.  O.  J.  S.  Hill...  ...F... 


.4th  Maine  Volunteers. 


388 


APPENDIX. 


HANK.  NAME.  CO.  REGIMENT. 

Private Bradford  Blime G 4lh  Maine  Volunteers. 

"      Daniel  0.  Howard G " 

"      Horace  Tellison H " 

Corporal George  P.  Wood H " 

"         C.  W.  Gray I « 

Private John  Donaglme I " 

"      JuanMillano I " 

Sergeant John  A.  Toothacher K  " 

Private Robert  Whitehead K " 

"      P.  J.  Carter K " 

Corporal Reuben  Richardson A 20th  Indiana  Volunteers. 

Private John  B.  Fairman A u 

Sergeant James  B.  Jones B  " 

Thompson  Farmer B " 

"         George  W.  Milliken B " 

"         ..  John  W.  Williams C " 

Private E.  Griffith C " 

Corporal Franklin  Barwick D " 

"         Lemuel  J.  Orwing D " 

Private Charles  W.  Sentman D " 

Corporal John  H.  Hendricks E " 

Private Elicot  Wilson E " 

"      William  C.  Hatfield E " 

Sergeant Jesse  L.  Cornwell F " 

"         George  H.  Reddick F " 

Sergeant William  P.  Thompson G " 

Corporal Francis  H.  Downing G " 

"         David  Taylor G " 

Private John  Anderson H " 

"      Michael  Powers H " 

Sergeant William  H.  Robinson I " 

Corporal Mahlon  Smith K " 

Private Stephen  C.  Wilson I " 

Sergeant William  Horine K  „.  ..  " 

Corporal James  C.  Stephens K " 

Sergeant D.  S.  Hunsberger H. 99th  Pennsylvania  Vols. 

Private Henry  Landis H  " 

"      Charles  H.  Farnacht H " 

Sergeant William  Thomas B " 

Private Frederick  Klein B " 

"         DavidBrolly B " 

Sergeant Harvey  M.  Munsell C " 

"        Thomas  O'Neil C " 

Sergeant John  Wendler D " 

Private Hugh  Kennerly. D " 

"       Joel  Porter...                            ...D..  «« 


THE    KEAKNY    MEDALS.  389 

RANK.  NAME.  CO.  REGIMENT. 

Corporal William  J.  Harmer E 99th  Pennsylvania  Vols. 

Private Charles  W.  Cooper E " 

"      John  Jackson F " 

"      Joseph  Ansback F " 

"      Robert  Martin F " 

Sergeant John  Armstrong G " 

Private Cornelius  Winters G " 

Sergeant William  J.  Firhn II " 

Sergeant James  T.  Taylor H u 

Corporal Henry  C.  Ipshorcling I " 

"         David  G.  Wilson I " 

"        James  Quinn K " 

Private Patrick  Coggins K " 

"         Philip  Clause K " 

HAYMAN'S  BRIGADE. 

Sergeant Charles  A.  Van  Dusen A 3d  Michigan  Volunteers. 

Corporal Ransom  B.  Howell A " 

"        Webster  J.  Kniffln A " 

Private John  Laraway A " 

Sergeant William  S.  Coughters B " 

Corporal William  W.  Bennett B u 

"         Silas  H.  Compton B " 

Sergeant Leonard  Diedrick C u 

"         Frank  Muhlberg C " 

Corporal Peter  Myers C " 

Private William  Schumaker C " 

Sergeant Richard  E.  Arthur D u 

Corporal Lewis  Pettitt D " 

Private William  Rennick D " 

Sergeant Daniel  E.  Bordsell E " 

Corporal Edwin  Van  Went E " 

Private George  H.  Wesilogh E  " 

Sergeant James  D.  Van  Dusen F u 

Corporal Daniel  G.  Grotty F " 

"        Job  Brewer F " 

Private Mortimer  Bonner F " 

Sergeant Charles  A.  Price G " 

Corporal Ira  M.  B.  Crane G " 

Private John  Broad G u 

Sergeant Martin  Biber H " 

Corporal Cada  White , H " 

Private George  W.  Lemon H " 

Sergeant James  F.  McGinley I " 

"         Benjamin  C.  Parker I " 


390 


APPENDIX. 


RANK.  NAME.  CO.  REGIMENT. 

Corporal Charles  Nelson I 3d  Michigan  Volunteers. 

Sergeant Reuben  Tower K " 

Corporal James  Hannah K " 

"         Alexander  French K " 

Private Benjamin  C.  Gardener K   ....  " 

Q.  M.  Sergeant..  John  H.  Sumner " 

Corporal August  Busson A 5th  Michigan  Volunteers. 

"         Nicholas  Henry A " 

Private Henry  Jervine A " 

Corporal Herman  Schmidt B " 

"         George  Newton B " 

Private William  Rupp B  " 

"         Henry  C.Brady B " 

Sergeant James  Hazzard C u 

"         Donald  Sinkley C " 

Corporal Reuben  Howe C " 

Private Luther  Franklin C " 

Sergeant John  Wickam D " 

Color  Sergeant... Otto  A.  Berger .*D " 

Sergeant Peter  Lennon D " 

"         Othello  W.  Phelps E " 

Private James  Harkness E " 

"      Hugh  Madison E " 

Private William  J.  Moore E " 

Sergeant Joseph  Kemp F " 

"         James  Darling F " 

"         Francis  McElroy F " 

Corporal Peter  Kenney G " 

"         Thomas  Lipscomb G u 

Private John  E.  Lee G " 

Sergeant William  Bowles H " 

Private Milton  Matoon... , H " 

"      Alfred  B.  Crane H «• 

Corporal Patrick  Waters H " 

Sergeant Stewart  A.  Boyd I " 

Corporal Charles  Abrams I " 

"         Charles  Thayer I " 

Private Alva  W.  Schofleld I " 

Sergeant Peter  Boffinger K  " 

"      Charles  J.  Zwissler K " 

Corporal William  Budde K " 

Sergeant Fayette  M.  Paine A 17th  Maine  Volunteers. 

"         Edward  H.  Crie A " 

Corporal Joseph  F.  Lake.... A " 

Private Jacob  C.  Brown A " 

"      James  G.  Holt ...  ...B  ...  " 


THE    KEARNY    MEDALS.  391 

KANK.  NAME.  CO.  EEGIMENT. 

Private Monroe  Quint B 17th  Maine  Volunteers. 

"      B.  T.  Trueworthy B " 

"      John  Lehanne B " 

"      J.  M.  Hall C " 

"      8.  C.Pratt ...C " 

Corporal J.  L.  Fuller C 

Private S.  W.  Burnham C " 

Sergeant Stephen  Graifam D 

Corporal F.  L.  Whittemore D " 

Private Charles  H.  Hayes D " 

"      Amos  G.  Winter D " 

Sergeant Herman  Q.  Mason E 

A.  S.  Osyar E " 

Corporal George  F.  Small E " 

Private Charles  Greeley E u 

Sergeant Wellington  Hobbs F " 

Corporal Austin  Hanson F " 

Private Henry  Day,  jr F u 

"       Charles  D.  Noble F  " 

Corporal Jeremiah  P.  Wyman G " 

Private James  B.  Robinson G " 

"      George  A.  Frederick G u 

Private A.  L.  Dunnell G " 

Sergeant George  A.  Whiddin H u 

" S.  P.  Hart H " 

"        J.  S.  Lorng H " 

Private M.  P.  Leary H " 

Corporal John  W.  Kendrick I " 

Private D.  A.  Wentworth I u 

Private John  H.  Simpson I 

"      A.J.Harmon I " 

Sergeant Isaac  O.  Parker K " 

Private Edward  G.  Parker K " 

"      F.  A.  Butland K " 

"      G.  J.  Strout K " 

Q.  M.  Sergeant..  James  B.  Shepard 37th  New  York  Volunteers. 

Sergeant David  Meskill Pioneers 

"         Samuel  B.  Wilson . A " 

"         John  O'Connell A " 

"         John  Donovan A " 

Corporal Laurence  Cahill A  

Sergeant Thomas  Feehery „ B " 

"         John  Doherty B " 

Corporal Patrick  Sheehan B 

Private Walter  Gladson B " 

Sergeant John  Collins C " 


392  APPENDIX. 

RANK.                              NAME.                                          CO.  TCEGIMENT. 

Sergeant Daniel  J.  Kelly C 37th  New  York  Volunteers. 

"         John  F.  Morton C " 

"         Peter  Moran C " 

"         Charles  Foley D " 

Corporal Owen  Gorman D " 

"         James  Cosgrove D " 

Private Cornelius  Driscoll D " 

Sergeant Patrick  Cooney E " 

Corporal James  Reddy E " 

Private Anthony  Smith E " 

Sergeant Michael  Cuddihy F " 

Corporal Michael  Duffy F " 

Sergeant Patrick  Gilespie F " 

Hugh  Murphy G " 

"         John  Broderick G " 

"        James  McManus G " 

Private Patrick  Stackpole G " 

Sergeant Harmon  E.  Wentworth H " 

Corporal Conrad  Snyder H " 

Private John  D.  Lyons H u 

"      Jacob  Albrecht H " 

Sergeant Clark  C.  Foster I " 

Jerome  D.  Andrews I " 

"         Charles  Lattin I «' 

"         Julius  C.  Schultz  I " 

"         John  McCarthy K " 

Timothy  Spillam K " 

"         Thomas  Murray K " 

Corporal John  Madden K " 

William  Torpey Battery  E,  1st  R.  I.  Art'y. 

John  McAlees.... " 

Martin  Harvey " 

An  official  copy  of  this  order  will  be  given  to  each  soldier  entitled 
to  wear  the  cross. 

D.  B.  BIENEY, 

Brigadier-general  Volunteers,  commanding  Division. 


REPORT    OF    GETTYSBURG.  393 


BIRNEY'S   REPORT    OF   GETTYSBURG. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  DIVISION  THIRD  CORPS, 
August  7,  1863. 

COLONEL  : — 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the  part  taken 
by  my  command  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg. 

At  seven  o'clock,  A.  M.,  on  the  2d  of  July,  under  orders  from 
Major-general  Sickles,  I  relieved  Geary's  division,  and  formed  a  line 
resting  its  left  on  the  Sugarloaf  mountain,  and  the  right  thrown  in 
a  direct  line  towards  the  Cemetery,  connecting  on  the  right  with  the 
second  division  of  this  corps.  My  picket  line  was  beyond  the 
Emmettsburg  road,  with  sharpshooters  some  three  hundred  yards 
in  advance. 

At  twelve  o'clock  M.,  believing  from  the  constant  fire  from  the 
enemy  that  a  movement  was  being  made  towards  the  left,  I  received 
permission  from  Major-general  Sickles  to  send  one  hundred  of  Ber- 
dan's  Sharpshooters,  with  the  Third  Maine  regiment  as  a  support, 
to  feel  the  enemy's  right.  I  sent  Captain  J.  C.  Briscoe,  of  my  staffj 
with  the  reconnoissance,  which  was  under  Colonel  Berdan's  com 
mand.  They  advanced  from  the  Peach  Orchard,  out  the  Millerstown 
road,  and  entered  the  woods  in  order  to  flank  the  enemy.  The 
skirmishers  of  the  enemy  were  driven  in,  and  three  columns  of  his 
forces  were  found  marching  to  our  left.  The  force  sent  by  me  was 
driven  back  by  overwhelming  numbers,  with  the  loss  of  about  sixty 
killed  and  wounded.  Communicating  this  important  information  to 
General  Sickles,  I  was  ordered  by  that  officer  to  change  my  front 
to  meet  the  attack.  I  did  this  by  advancing  the  left  five  hundred 
yards  and  swinging  around  the  right  so  as  to  rest  on  the  Emmetts 
burg  road,  at  the  Peach  Orchard.  He  also  informed  me  that  a  divi 
sion  from  the  Second  and  one  from  the  Fifth  Corps  had  been  ordered 
to  be  in  readiness  to  support  me. 

My  line  was  formed  with  Ward  on  the  left,  resting  on  the  moun 
tain,  De  Trobriand  in  the  centre,  and  Graham  on  my  right  in  the 
Peach  Orchard,  with  his  right  on  the  Emmettsburg  road.  Smith's 
battery  of  rifled  guns  was  placed  so  as  to  command  the  gorge  at 
the  base  of  the  Sugarloaf  mountain;  Winslow's  battery  on  the 

50 


394  APPENDIX. 

right  of  Ward's  brigade,  and  a  battery  from  the  Eeserve  artillery. 
Also  Clark's  and  Ames'  batteries  to  the  right,  in  rear  of  the  Peach 
Orchard,  supported  by  Graham's  brigade,  and  the  Third  Michigan 
from  the  third  brigade,  and  Third  Maine  from  the  second  brigade. 
Randolph's,  Seely's,  and  Turnbull's  batteries  were  placed  near  the 
Emmettsburg  road,  on  the  front  parallel  with  it. 

I  immediately  sent  an  aide  to  Major-general  Sykes,  asking  for  the 
division  promised  to  support  my  left.  I  opened — say  at  three 
and  a  half  o'clock  P.  M. — with  Clark's  and  Smith's  batteries,  upon 
the  columns  of  the  enemy  moving  towards  our  left  and  parallel  with 
the  Emmettsburg  road.  At  four  o'clock  the  enemy  returned  the 
artillery  fire  on  my  entire  front,  and  advanced  his  infantry  en 
masse,  covered  by  a  cloud  of  skirmishers. 

Major-general  Sykes  reached  my  left  opportunely,  and  protected 
that  flank.  A  portion  of  his  command  under  General  Barnes  had 
been  placed  in  rear  of  the  right  of  De  Trobriand's  brigade,  but  dur 
ing  the  hottest  of  the  fight  he  withdrew  this  force,  saying  that  his 
men  could  not  see  to  fight  in  the  woods,  and  formed  them  some  three 
hundred  yards  farther  in  the  rear. 

As  the  fight  was  now  furious,  and  my  line  reached  from 
Sugarloaf  hill  to  the  Emmettsburg  road,  fully  a  mile  in  length,  I 
was  obliged  to  send  for  more  reinforcements  to  General  Sickles ;  and 
Major  Tremain,  A.  D.  C.  to  the  commanding  general,  soon  appeared 
with  a  brigade  of  the  Second  Corps,  which  behaved  most  handsomely, 
and  leading  them  forward  it  soon  restored  the  centre  of  my  line, 
and  we  drove  the  enemy  from  that  point,  to  fall  with  redoubled  force 
on  Ward's  brigade. 

My  thin  lines  swayed  to  and  fro  during  the  fight,  and  my  regi 
ments  were  moved  constantly,  on  the  double-quick,  from  one  part  of 
the  line  to  the  other,  to  reinforce  assailed  points.  I  cannot  estimate 
too  highly  the  services  of  the  regiments  from  Burling's  brigade, 
second  division,  the  Fifth,  Sixth,  and  Seventh  New  .Jersey  volun 
teers,  and  Second  New  Hampshire.  These  regiments  were  sent  to 
me  during  the  contest,  and  most  gallantly  did  they  sustain  the  glori 
ous  reputation  won  by  them  in  former  battles. 

Graham's  brigade  was  subjected,  at  the  point  of  the  angle  of  the 
line  on  the  Emmettsburg  road,  to  a  fearful  artillery  fire,  enfilading  his 
line,  but  this  brigade,  with  the  assistance  of  the  Third  Maine  from 


REPORT    OF    GETTYSBURG.  395 

the  second  brigade,  and  Third  Michigan  from  the  third  brigade  of 
this  division,  held  the  Peach  Orchard  until  nearly  dusk,  when,  find 
ing  the  right  was  unsupported,  they  fell  back  to  the  next  ridge. 

At  six  o'clock  I  found  Major-general  Sickles  seriously  wounded, 
and  at  his  request  took  command  of  the  corps.  After  this  I  rode 
to  the  second  division,  and,  finding  it  in  some  confusion,  aided  its 
officers  in  rallying  it.  The  officers  and  men  responded  with  great 
alacrity,  and,  changing  front,  again  advancing,  they  recaptured  many 
pieces  that  were  in  the  possession  of  the  enemy.  Major-general  nan- 
cock  reached  me  about  half-past  seven  o'clock  with  a  brigade  of 
fresh  troops,  and,  at  his  request,  I  assigned  them  a  position.  My 
division  was  relieved  from  the  front  line  by  the  Second  and  Fifth 
Corps  towards  dusk. 

The  annexed  tables  of  casualties  show  the  nature  of  the  engage 
ment,  and  its  terrific  character.  Several  of  my  regiments  lost  more 
than  fifty  per  cent,  of  their  number,  and  almost  every  officer.  One 
regiment,  the  One-hundred-and-forty-first  Pennsylvania  volunteers, 
Colonel  Madill,  lost  out  of  two  hundred  men  taken  into  the  fight,  one 
hundred  and  forty-nine  men  and  officers  killed  and  wounded.  Every 
regiment  of  my  command  did  its  whole  duty,  and  officers  viecl  with 
each  other  in  honorable  emulation  to  repel  the  masses  that  were 
hurled  on  my  small  division  for  three  hours.  The  batteries  were 
well  handled,  and  I  have  no  reports  of  any  guns  being  lost,  as  in 
retiring  we  hauled  the  disabled  pieces  from  the  field. 

The  first  brigade,  composed  of  Pennsylvania  regiments,  com 
manded  by  Brigadier-general  C.  K.  Graham,  tried  with  its  skeleton 
ranks  to  even  outdo  Chancellorsville.  General  Graham  was  wounded 
and  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  with  Lieutenant-colonel  Cavada 
of  the  One-hundred-and-fourteenth  Pennsylvania,  and  Major  Neeper 
of  the  Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania.  The  Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania, 
Colonel  Sides;  Sixty-third  Pennsylvania,  Major  Danks;  Sixty-eighth 
Pennsylvania,  Colonel  Tippin ;  One-hundred-and-fifth  Pennsylvania, 
Colonel  Craig;  One-hundred-and-fourteenth  Pennsylvania,  Lieutenant- 
cokmel  Cavada ;  and  One-hundred  and-forty-first  Pennsylvania  vol 
unteers,  Colonel  Madill,  compose  this  brigade,  and  have  made  its 
reputation  equal  to  any  in  this  army.  General  Graham  showed  the 
same  coolness,  daring  and  endurance  under  the  terrible  fire,  that  dis 
tinguished  him  at  Chancellorsville. 


396  APPENDIX. 

The  second  brigade,  Brigadier-general  Ward,  held  also  a  post  of 
great  honor  and  importance,  and  fully  sustained  its  old  reputation. 
The  First  United  States  Sharpshooters,  Colonel  Berdan,  and  Second 
United  States  Sharpshooters,  Major  Stoughton ;  Third  Maine,  Colonel 
Lakeman;  Fourth  Maine,  Colonel  Walker;  Twentieth  Indiana,  Colonel 
Wheeler;  Ninety-ninth  Pennsylvania,  Major  Moore;  One-hundred- 
and-twenty-fourth  New  York,  Colonel  Ellis ;  and  Eighty-sixth  New 
York,  Lieutenant-colonel  Higgins,  compose  this  brigade. 

Colonel  Walker,  who  has  so  distinguished  himself  on  the  Penin 
sula,  and  at  Manassas,  Chantilly,  Fredericksburg,  and  Chancellors- 
ville,  was  seriously  wounded;  and  those  gallant  officers,  Colonels 
Ellis  and  Wheeler,  "fell  dead  with  their  crowns  to  the  foe,"  at  the 
head  of  their  regiments. 

General  Ward  sustained  me,  as  he  always  has,  by  his  judicious 
arrangements  and  dispositions,  holding  the  most  hotly-contested 
point  of  the  line  for  three  hours. 

The  third  brigade,  Colonel  De  Trobriand  commanding,  held  the 
centre  of  my  line.  The  Fortieth  New  York,  Colonel  T.  W.  Egaii ; 
Third  Michigan,  Colonel  Pierce ;  Fifth  Michigan,  Lieutenant-colonel 
Pulforel ;  Seventeenth  Maine  volunteers,  Lieutenant-colonel  Merrill, 
and  One-hundred-and-tenth  Pennsylvania,  Lieutenant-colonel  D.  M. 
Jones,  compose  this  brigade  Colonel  De  Trobriand  deserves  my 
heartiest  thanks  for  the  skillful  disposition  of  his  command,  gallantly 
holding  his  advanced  position  until  relieved  by  other  troops.  This 
officer  is  one  of  the  longest  in  commission  as  colonel  in  the  volun 
teer  service ;  has  been  distinguished  in  nearly  every  engagement 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  certainly  deserves  the  rank  of 
brigadier-general  of  volunteers  to  which  he  has  been  recommended. 

The  Fortieth  New  York  volunteers,  Colonel  Egan,  was  sent  by 
me  under  charge  of  Captain  Briscoe,  A.  D.  C.,  to  strengthen  General 
Ward's  line ;  and,  led  by  its  gallant,  dashing  colonel,  charged  the 
enemy  and  drove  him  back  from  his  advanced  point,  and  poured  the 
most  terrific  fire  into  his  ranks.  This  regiment  is  composed  of  the 
old  Fortieth,  and  gallant  men  from  the  Eighty-seventh,  One-hundred- 
and  first,  Thirty-eighth,  and  Fifty-fifth  New  York  consolidated  with 
it,  making  a  glorious  unit. 

The  Seventeenth  Maine  volunteers,  Lieutenant-colonel  Merrill,  was 
driven  back  from  its  position  by  an  overwhelming  force ;  but,  re- 


REPORT    OF    GETTYSBURG.  397 

spending  to  my  personal  appeal,  again  charged  the  enemy  across 
the  small  wheat  field,  and  retook  their  position.  This  regiment  be 
haved  most  gallantly,  and  evinced  a  high  state  of  discipline.  The 
enthusiasm  was  cheering,  and  the  assistance  rendered  by  its  charge 
most  important. 

I  have  already  mentioned  the  valuable  aid  rendered  me  by  the 
command  of  Colonel  Burling,  commanding  the  third  brigade  of  the 
second  division.  This  officer  and  his  gallant  old  regiments  never  did 
better  service  at  a  better  time. 

Colonel  Berdan,  of  the  sharpshooters,  and  Captain  Briscoe,  of  my 
staff,  deserve  mention  for  their  services  in  leading  the  reconnoissance 
before  the  battle,  and  for  the  valuable  information  derived  from  it. 
The  two  regiments  of  sharpshooters  under  Colonel  Berdan  and 
Major  Stoughton  were  of  the  most  essential  service  in  covering  my 
front,  and  pouring  a  constant  and  galling  fire  into  the  enemy's  line 
of  skirmishers. 

All  of  the  members  of  my  staff  were  efficient  and  ready  with  their 
services  in  the  field. 

During  the  3d  of  July  this  division,  under  command  of  General 
Ward,  was  held  in  reserve,  and  during  the  heavy  artillery  fire  of 
that  day  was  brought  up  under  it  to  support  General  Newton's  line. 
The  enemy  was,  however,  repulsed  without  its  assistance.  • 
I  am  your  obedient  servant, 

D.  B.  BIRNEY, 

Major-general  comd'g  first  division  Third  Corps. 

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL  O.  H.  HART, 

Ass't  Adjutant-general  Third  Corps. 


398 


APPENDIX. 


CASUALTIES  IN  BIRNEY'S  DIVISION,  THIRD  ARMY  CORPS, 
AT  THE  BATTLE  OF  GETTYSBURG,  PA. 

GRAHAM'S  BRIGADE. 


STAFF. 


Brigadier-general  Graham  wounded  and  a  prisoner. 
Lieutenant  Charles  H.  Graves,  A.  A.  A.  G.,  wounded. 
Lieutenant  Willard  Bullard,  A.  D.  C.,  wounded. 


REGIMENTS. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

Commis'd 
officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

"?  a 
B  0 

Bf 

0  0 

o 

•a 
fa 

W 

Commis'd 
officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Brio-ade  Staff.  

2 
1 

9 
1 
4 

7 
8 
25 

3 
9 
3 
9 
13 
1 
6 

37 
26 
117 
101 

85 
97 

•   3 
3 

55 
4 
19 
9 
57 
21 

3 

115 
34 
149 
131 
151 
152 

57th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  

63d              "                               

68th             "                     "         

105th          "                    "         

114th          "                     "         
141st           "                     "          

Total  

3 

64 

44 

463 

6    165 

735 

WARD'S  BRIGADE. 


REGIMENTS. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

Commis'd 
officers. 

Id 

?a 

W 

Commis'd 
officers. 

TJ 

"So   ^ 

^a 

W 

Comm's'd 
officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Headquarters  Second  Brigade  
3d  Maine  volunteers  

1 

3 

2 
1 
1 
4 
2 
0 

17 
11 
28 
17 
9 
24 
5 
5 

1 

2 
2 
9 
5 
3 
3 
3 
4 

60 
54 
101 
79 
46 
54 
33 
23 

4 
1 

32 

68 
11 
9 
4 
4 
6 
12 

1 
112 

142 
151 
111 
64 

89 
49 
44 

4th      "                 "        

20th  Indiana  volunteers  

99th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  

86th  New  York  volunteers  

124th        "                   "         

1st  United  States  Sharpshooters... 
2d 

Total  

14 

116 

32 

450 

5 

146 

763 

REPORT  OF  GETTYSBURG. 
DE  TROBRIAND'S  BRIGADE. 


399 


REGIMENTS. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

Commis'd 
officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Commis'd 
officerg. 

"2 

to  fl 

^a 
w 

Commis'd 
officer!. 

•a 

*J  G 
ll 

M 

Headquarters  Third  Brigade  

1 
1 

2 

28 

n 

8 
It 

7 

1 

6 

7 
6 
8 
2 

114 
105 
39 
74 

29 

5 

2 

4 

7 

1 
154 

132 
53 
105 
45 

40th  New  York  volunteers  

17th  Maine  volunteers  

110th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  
5th  Michigan  volunteers  

3d             "               «          

Total  

4 

77 

30 

361 

18 

490 

RECAPITULATION. 


BRIGADES. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

Commis'd 
officers. 

•£  a 

Commis'd 
officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

II 

0 

Enlisted 

men. 

First  Brigade  

3 

14 
4 

54 
116 

77 

44 
32 

30 

463 
450 
361 

6 
5 

165 
146 

18 

735 
763 
490 

Second     "       

Third       "       

Total  

21 

247 

106 

1274 

11 

329 

1988 

400  APPENDIX. 


CAPT.  J.  C.  BRISCOE'S  REPORT  OF  GETTYSBURG. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  DIVISION  THIRD  CORPS, 
SULPHUR  SPRINGS,  VA.,  August  4,  1863. 

CAPTAIN  : — 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  the  following  as  what  came  under 
my  observation,  of  the  part  taken  by  this  division  in  the  late  battle 
of  Gettysburg. 

The  division  marched  from  Emmettsburg,  Maryland,  July  1,  1863, 
and  bivouacked  one  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Gettysburg  and  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  east  of  the  Emmettsburg  road.  On  the  following 
morning  De  Trobriand's  brigade,  which  had  been  left  behind  at 
Emmettsburg,  came  up  and  we  went  into  position,  the  left  resting 
on  the  Taneytown  road,  north  of  the  Sagarloaf  mountain,  the  right 
swung  round  so  that  it  was  parallel  with  the  Emmettsburg  road 
and  connected  with  the  Second  Corps.  About  ten.  A.  M.,  the  major- 
general  commanding  directed  me  to  take  out  one  hundred  and  fifty 
sharpshooters  under  Colonel  Berdan  and  feel  the  enemy,  who  were 
supposed  to  be  in  the  woods  west  of  and  parallel  to  the  Emmetts 
burg  road.  The  sharpshooters  drove  in  the  enemy's  pickets  twice, 
and  Colonel  Berdan  reported  him  in  force  with  infantry  and  artillery. 

At  noon  I  received  orders  to  take  one  hundred  sharpshooters,  with 
the  Third  Maine  as  a  support,  and  feel  the  enemy's  right.  Advanc 
ing  from  the  Peach  Orchard,  out  the  Millerstown  road,  we  entered  the 
woods  so  as  to,  if  possible,  flank  the  enemy,  found  him  in  line  of 
battle  ready  for  us,  drove  in  his  skirmishers,  and  after  receiving  a 
few  volleys  retired  with  a  loss  of  about  sixty  killed  and  wounded. 
During  this  affair,  from  the  roof  of  a  blacksmith's  shop  on  the  Mil 
lerstown  road  I  saw  the  enemy's  artillery  and  infantry  in  rear  of 
the  woods,  evidently  preparing  for  a  demonstration  on  our  left. 
Returning  to  headquarters  I  found  that  General  Birney,  in  anticipa 
tion  of  the  attack,  was  about  changing  his  line,  by  advancing  the 
left  five  hundred  yards  and  swinging  round  the  right  so  as  to  rest  on 
the  Emmettsburg  road  at  the  Peach  Orchard. 

Our  new  position  then  was,  Ward's  brigade  with  Smith's  battery 
on  the  extreme  left,  his  line  on  a  rocky  ridge  running  east  and  west 


REPORT    OF    GETTYSBURG.  401 

with  his  left  resting  on  the  Sugarloaf.  On  the  right  of  this  brigade 
Colonel  De  Trobriand  was  placed,  in  the  woods,  with  Winslow's 
battery  in  the  wheat  field  between  the  two  brigades.  General 
Graham's  command  was  deployed  in  the  open  fields,  with  his  right 
resting  on  the  Emmettsburg  road  at  the  Peach  Orchard,  where  also 
the  Third  Maine  was  placed  as  an  outpost ;  Clark's  battery  took 
position  at  this  point,  and  a  battery  from  the  reserve  came  up  on  his 
left. 

It  was  now  four,  P.  M.,  and  the  new  order  of  battle  had  scarce 
been  established,  some  of  the  batteries  just  going  into  position,  when 
the  enemy  opened  his  artillery  with  good  effect  and  his  advancing 
columns  bore  down  on  us  with  a  yell  in  the  usual  style.  Previous 
to  this  I  represented  to  General  Birney,  and  by  his  order  to  General 
Sickles,  that  we  wanted  another  regiment  to  occupy  the  Sugarloaf; 
General  Sickles  said  he  had  no  more  troops-and  would  send  to  Gen 
eral  Meacle. 

The  division  was  deployed  in  a  single  line  of  regiments,  covering 
the  left  flank  of  the  army,  and  occupying  the  space  between  the  Peach 
Orchard  and  the  Sugarloaf. 

General  Ward  sent  for  reinforcements,  and  General  Birney  directed 
me  to  take  him  two  of  De  Trobriand's  regiments.  I  started  with 
the  Fortieth  New  York  and  another  regiment,  the  name  of  which  I 
have  been  unable  to  ascertain,  which  lagged  behind  when  we  got  under 
fire,  and  I  saw  nothing  more  of  it.  Not  finding  General  Ward  imme 
diately  to  report  the  Fortieth  to  him,  I  placed  it  on  his  left  and  rear.^ 
The  enemy  had  now  occupied  the  Sugarloaf  and  was  endeavoring 
to  flank  Ward.  I  suggested  a  charge  to  Colonel  Egan,  which  he 
made  in  the  most  gallant  style,  driving  the  enemy  back  and  up  the 
mountain.  The  Pennsylvania  Reserves  came  up  about  this  time, 
and  taking  position  on  a  ridge  north  of  the  Sugarloaf  kept  up  a 
very  rapid  musketry  fire  at  long  range.  General  Ward  now  in 
formed  me  that  he  could  not  hold  his  position  much  longer  without 
more  reinforcements.  Captain  Cooney,  his  assistant  adjutant-gene 
ral,  said  in  ten  minutes  it  would  be  too  late.  I  reported  the  fact 
to  General  Birney,  who  directed  me  to  take  a  regiment  from  Colonel 
De  Trobriand;  but  on  going  to  his  front  I  found  he  had  enough 
to  do  to  take  care  of  himself.  Two  regiments,  under  Colonel  Bur 
ling,  from  the  New  Jersey  brigade  of  the  second  division,  having 

51 


402  APPENDIX. 

reported,  were  placed  by  General  Birney  in  front  of  Winslow's 
battery,  filling  the  gap  between  Ward  and  De  Trobriand. 

The  enemy  still  continuing  to  press  us,  it  became  necessary  to 
withdraw  Winslow's  battery,  which  was  done  in  good  order,  the 
regiments  of  the  New  Jersey  brigade  and  the  Seventeenth  Maine 
covering  the  withdrawal  in  a  determined  manner,  under  a  severe 
musketry  fire  from  the  woods  in  front.  While  this  was  going  on, 
General  Barnes'  division  had  gotten  up  and  were  massed  in  rear  of 
De  Trobriand.  I  represented  to  General  Barnes  more  than  once 
that  we  were  hard  pressed  in  front. 

Seeing  the  batteries  on  our  right  and  the  infantry  falling  back, 
Captains  Birney,  Eandolph,  and  myself)  tried  to  rally  them,  and  with 
Colonel  Tippen's  assistance  succeeded  to  some  extent. 

It  was  now  six  and  a-half,  P.  M.,  when  I  learned  General  Sickles 
was  wounded,  and,  looking  for  General  Birney,  saw  him  leading  a 
brigade  from  the  Second  Corps,  which  advanced  in  good  order  and 
checked  the  onset  of  the  enemy.  From  this  time  I  directed  my 
efforts  towards  getting  our  men  together. 

By  ten,  P.  M.,  the  division  was  bivouacked  by  General  Birney's 
order  in  the  open  field,  east  of  the  Taneytown  road  and  about  two 
hundred  yards  in  rear  of  the  position  assigned  us  in  the  morning. 
General  Birney,  having  assumed  command  of  the  corps,  next  morn 
ing  placed  the  first  division  in  rear  of  and  supporting  the  right  of 
the  Fifth  Corps.  At  one,  P.  M.,  the  enemy  opened  with  artillery 
along  his  whole  line,  directing  his  fire  mainly  on  the  Cemetery  Hill ; 
under  cover  of  which  fire  his  infantry  advanced  in  two  lines'  and 
endeavored  to  force  the  position.  General  Birney  directed  me  to 
report  the  first  division  to  General  Newton,  commanding  the  front 
line.  General  Newton  distributed  the  regiments  from  right  to  left 
along  the  front  line,  and  they  remained  until  the  following  day, 
when  the  command  was  again  concentrated  in  rear  of  the  Second 
Corps,  and  was  kept  in  reserve  during  the  day  and  night. 

On  the  morning  of  the  5th  of  July,  General  Birney  directed  me  to 
take  one  hundred  of  Berdan's  Sharpshooters  and  find  what  the  enemy 
was  doing.  We  advanced  across  the  Emmettsburg  road  and  entered 
the  enemy's  works  without  opposition,  discovered  his  column  in 
retreat  on  the  Fairfield  road  and  the  hospitals  on  Willoughby's 
creek,  containing  thousands  of  his  wounded,  abandoned.  I  reported 


REPORT    OF    MINE    RUN.  403 

the  matter  to  headquarters,  and  received  orders  to  remain  where  we 
were  and  report  at  intervals  whatever  transpired. 

By  one,  P.  M.,  the  rear  of  the  enemy's  column  had  passed,  and 
half  an  hour  later  the  Sixth  Corps  came  up  and  took  possession  of 
the  road  over  which  the  enemy  had  just  retreated. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be 

Your  obedient  servant, 

J.  C.  BRISCOE, 

Captain  and  A.  D.  C. 

CAPTAIN  F.  BIRNEY, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general. 


BIRNEY'S   REPORT   OF  MINE   RUN. 

HEADQUARTERS  BIRNEY'S  DIVISION,  THIRD  CORPS, 
CAMP  BRANDY  STATION,  December  4,  1863. 

COLONEL  :— 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the  operations 
of  the  division  during  the  recent  movements  from  November  26th 
to  the  3d  instant. 

I  broke  camp  on  the  morning  of  26th  ultimo,  and  at  eight  and 
a  half  o'clock,  A.  M.,  followed  Carr's  division,  keeping  close  up  to  it 
during  the  day,  reaching  the  pontoon  bridge  at  dark,  crossing  and 
bivouacking  in  the  field  half  a  mile  from  the  river. 

It  was  found  impracticable  to  ascend  the  bluffs  opposite  Jacob's 
Mill  with  even  an  empty  ambulance,  and,  under  orders  from  the 
corps  commander,  the  battery  attached  to  the  division  (Bucklyn's) 
and  all  the  trains,  ambulances,  ammunition,  etc.,  were  ordered  to 
Germania  ford.  After  laboring  all  night  over  almost  impassable 
roads,  Bucklyn's  battery  reached  the  division  about  daylight  with 
jaded,  unfed  horses,  and  being  the  only  battery  that  had  succeeded 
in  surmounting  the  difficulties  presented  by  the  road  between 
Germania  and  Jacob's  ford,  was  transferred  to  Prince's,  the  leading 
division. 

At  seven  o'clock,  A.  M.,  27th  November,  the  march  was  resumed, 
my  division  bringing  up  the  rear  of  the  corps  following  Carr's 
division. 


404  APPENDIX. 

The  head  of  the  column  encountering  the  enemy  near  the  Eaccoon 
ford  road,  I  was  ordered  by  Major-general  French  to  form  a  second 
line  in  rear  of  the  centre  of  the  first  line,  composed  of  the  divisions 
of  Generals  Prince  and  Carr,  and  to  grant  support  to  either  when 
necessary  during  the  expected  battle. 

I  marched  my  division  parallel  to  Carr,  through  a  thick  wood, 
some  two  hundred  paces  to  rear,  moving  by  the  flank,  and  Carr  soon 
becoming  hotly  engaged,  formed  in  line  of  battle.  I  deployed  the 
third  brigade  (Egan)  in  his  rear  as  my  first  line,  massing  the  second 
brigade  (Ward)  in  the  rear  of  its  right,  and  the  first  brigade  (Collis) 
in  rear  of  its  left.  Before  the  formation  was  completed,  say  Avithin 
twenty  minutes,  General  Carr  informed  me  that  the  right  of  his  line 
was  hardly  pressed  and  ammunition  nearly  expended.  I  imme 
diately  ordered  the  second  brigade,  General  Ward,  to  move  up, 
and  relieve  Carr's  right  connecting  with  Prince's  left.  He  did  so, 
however,  without  pressing  the  enemy. 

General  Carr  now  reporting  his  centre  hard  pressed,  I  moved 
forward  the  third  brigade,  (Egan,)  relieving  his  entire  line  excepting 
one  regiment  of  Kieifer's  brigade,  which  had  enjoyed  favorable  cover. 
Finding  that  Smith's  brigade  of  Carr's  division  did  not  connect  on 
the  left,  and  that  the  enemy  was  endeavoring  to  turn  it,  I  moved 
the  third  brigade  to  the  left,  and  ordered  up  my  first  brigade 
(Collis)  to  the  centre.  The  musketry  fire  was  incessant,  and  the 
enemy  made  constant  efforts  to  break  through  my  line.  They  were 
driven  back,  and  the  ridge  was  firmly  held  by  us,  but  Prince's  division 
not  advancing  equally  with  us,  enabled  the  enemy  to  plant  a  battery 
on  the  right  that  completely  enfiladed  my  line. 

At  dusk  I  advanced,  my  line  of  skirmishers  holding  the  battle -field. 
During  the  night  the  enemy  retired,  leaving  their  dead,  wounded,  and 
hospitals. 

At  four  o'clock,  A.  M.,  28th  November,  under  orders  from  major 
general  commanding  the  corps,  I  withdrew  the  division  a  mile  to  the 
rear,  massing  it  near  the  widow  Morris'  house.  My  picket  line  re 
mained.  My  ordnance  officer  collected  on  the  battle-field  such  small 
arms  as  he  was  permitted  by  the  short  time  allowed  him  through 
the  rapid  movements  of  the  corps,  and  destroyed  a  large  number  for 
which  he  had  no  transportation. 

At   eight   o'clock,   A.  M.,  same   day,  I    followed    Carr's   division 


REPORT    OF    MINE    RUN.  405 

toward  Robertson's  tavern.  I  soon  received  orders  to  pass  it,  and 
found  it  in  line  of  battle.  On  reaching  the  left  of  the  Sixth  Corps  I 
massed  my  division  ;  thence  I  marched  to  a  point  near  Muddy  Run, 
in  rear  of  the  left  of  the  First  Corps,  and  again  massed.  Under  orders 
from  Major-general  French  I  bridged  Muddy  Run,  and  pushing 
forward  a  strong  reconnoissance  to  the  heights  of  Mine  Run,  driving 
away  a  small  party  of  the  enemy  posted  there,  I  advanced  my  divi 
sion  and  bivouacked  on  the  heights,  connecting  on  the  right  with  the 
First  Corps,  my  line  forming  almost  a  right  angle  with  the  line  of 
that  corps,  occupying  the  position  indicated  by  Major  Duane,  Chief 
Engineer. 

During  the  29th,  my  division  was  held  in  readiness  for  the  expected 
assault. 

Before  daylight  on  the  30th,  Prince's  and  Carr's  divisions  were 
withdrawn  to  the  support  of  the  movement  by  General  Warren,  and 
I  received  orders  from  General  French  to  be  prepared  to  assault  the 
enemy  in  my  front,  crossing  Mine  Run.  Detaching  the  Third  Michi 
gan,  One- hundred  and-twenty-fourth  New  York,  First  and  Second 
United  States  Sharpshooters,  all  under  command  of  Colonel  B.  R. 
Pierce,  Third  Michigan,  I  relieved  my  entire  picket  line,  and  deploy 
ing  them  as  an  advanced  line  of  skirmishers,  connected  with  the 
First  Corps  on  the  right  and  General  Warren  on  the  left,  and  driving 
the  enemy's  pickets  from  the  bank  of  Mine  Run,  made  crossings  of 
rails  and  logs,  and  two  bridges  for  artillery,  so  that  the  run  would 
be  no  obstacle  to  a  rapid  advance  in  line  of  battle.  I  deployed  the 
second  brigade  (Ward)  as  the  second  skirmish  line,  in  open  order, 
with  four  companies  from  each  regiment  as  supports,  with  orders  to 
follow  the  advance  line  at  two  hundred  paces.  The  first  and  third 
brigades  were  formed  in  line  of  battle,  excepting  the  regiments 
detached  for  the  support  of  the  batteries.  At  eight  o'clock,  A.  M., 
the  batteries  opening  on  the  right  and  centre,  Colonel  Pierce  gal 
lantly  pushed  forward  the  advanced  line,  driving  the  first  line  of 
the  enemy  out  of  the  advanced  rifle  pits,  capturing  a  few  prisoners. 
Finding  that  the  expected  attack  on  the  left  was  not  made  by  General 
Warren,  I  had  despatched  an  aide  (Lieutenant  Moore)  to  Colonel 
Pierce,  ordering  him  not  to  advance  any  further,  when  Major-general 
French  ordered  me  to  retire  my  demonstration  and  resume  the  posi 
tion  and  formation  of  the  29th,  the  day  before. 


406  APPENDIX. 

At  six  and  a  half  o'clock,  P.  M.,  on  the  first  of  December,  my  com 
mand  followed  Carr's  division,  bringing  up  the  rear  of  the  corps  in 
the  withdrawal  by  Culpepper  ford.  The  movement  was  a  little 
delayed  by  the  bad  condition  of  the  woods  road,  forcing  the  batteries 
to  double  teams  to  reach  the  plank  road.  On  reaching  the  plank 
road  the  movements  of  this  division  were  greatly  embarrassed  by 
the  cutting  of  the  column  by  the  ambulances,  trains,  and  a  column 
of  a  division  of  the  Sixth  Corps  and  the  Second  Corps.  I  reached 
this  side  of  the  Rapidan  by  Culpepper  ford,  at  five  and  a  half,  A.  M., 
2d  instant,  and  bivouacked.  The  roads  were  so  occupied  by  trains 
and  troops  that  my  division  did  not  reach  my  former  camp  near 
Brandy  Station,  until  five  o'clock,  A.  M.,  3d  instant. 

Captain  E.  L.  Ford,  division  ordnance  officer,  whose  efficiency  in 
bringing  up  the  ammunition  train,  supplying  the  division,  taking 
from  the  battle-field  the  arms  and  destroying  others,  deserves  especial 
commendation. 

The  third  brigade  (Egan)  was  the  most  hotly  engaged,  and  ac 
quitted  itself  most  gallantly.  Colonel  Egan,  for  the  first  time  in 
command  of  the  brigade,  exhibited  much  skill  in  handling  the  troops. 

The  division  is  now  in  camp,  in  good  condition  and  spirits,  and  I 
have  the  pleasure  to  report  that  the  straggling,  considering  that  the 
marches  were  for  two  nights,  was  confined  to  a  few. 

I  regret  to  say  that  the  command  has  experienced  a  serious  loss  in 
the  death  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Trepp,  commanding  First  United 
States  Sharpshooters,  killed  in  the  skirmish  and  advance  at  Mine 

Kun. 

I  am,  Colonel, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

D.  B.  BIRNEY, 

Major-general  Volunteers,  commanding  Division. 


LIEUTENANT-COLONEL  0.  H. 

Assistant  Adjutant-general,  Third  Army  Corps. 


PICKET    DUTY.  407 


PICKET   DUTY. 

HEADQUARTERS  TENTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

IN  THE  FIELD,  NEAR  HATCHER'S,  VA.,  July  27,  1864. 

[GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  19.] 

The  system  of  picketing  for  this  corps  will  be  that  of  Butterfield, 
with  the  following  modifications : 

The  picket  guard  is  divided  into  four  reliefs.  On  marching  on 
the  first  relief  goes  to  the  outposts,  consisting  of  the  groups  of  three 
and  the  outer  sentinels.  The  second  to  the  supports.  The  third  and 
fourth  to  the  grand  guard.  At  the  end  of  six  hours  the  second  relief 
moves  from  the  supports  to  the  outposts,  the  first  relief  going  to  the 
supports.  At  the  end  of  twelve  hours  the  third  and  fourth  reliefs 
go  forward  from  the  grand  guard,  the  outposts  first  falling  back 
on  the  supports.  Each  relief  has  thus  twelve  consecutive  hours 
on  the  grand  guard.  The  outer  sentinels  are  to  be  relieved  every 
two  hours,  and  the  groups  every  six  hours.  In  extremely  inclement 
weather  division  commanders  may  authorize  sentinels  and  groups  to 
be  relieved  more  frequently.  Twelve  and  three  quarters  men  per 
sentinel's  post  gives  the  proper  detail,  with  extra  men  for  fatigue 
purposes,  supernumeraries,  etc.  As  a  general  rule  there  should  be  in 
each  relief  one  corporal  for  every  three  sentinels'  posts,  one  sergeant 
for  every  six  posts,  one  subaltern  for  every  ten  posts,  and  a  captain 
or  field  officer  commanding.  For  example :  twenty  posts  gives,  say 
two  hundred  and  fifty-five  privates,  twenty-eight  corporajs,  twelve 
sergeants,  eight  lieutenants,  and  four  captains. 

Division  commanders  are  responsible  for  the  manner  in  which 
picket  duty  is  performed  on  their  division  picket  line,  and  that  the 
prescribed  system  of  picketing  and  the  regulations  on  the  subject  are 
followed. 

The  pickets  of  each  division  will  be  regularly  mounted  as  a  grand 
guard,  under  the  direction  of  the  division  commander.  In  permanent 
camps  the  guard  may  be  continued  for  three  days. 

The  picket  line  of  the  corps,  when  once  established,  will  not  be 
changed  or  modified,  unless  such  change  shall  be  sanctioned  at  these 


408  APPENDIX. 

headquarters,  or  by  orders  from  the  corps  officer  of  the  day  to  the 
division  officer  of  the  day. 

On  the  march  the  pickets  will  be  thrown  out  immediately  on 
arriving  in  camp,  by  the  commander  of  each  division,  (about  one- 
tenth  of  his  force,)  making  their  lines  connected  from  right  to  left 
and  their  camps  secure.  The  corps  officer  of  the  day  will  also  see 
that  this  connection  is  duly  made,  and  that  all  the  exposed  points  of 
the  camp  are  securely  guarded. 

No  officer  or  soldier  on  picket  will  be  allowed  to  return  to  camp 
during  his  tour,  or  to  leave  his  post,  unless  so  ordered  by  his  com 
mander  then  on  duty,  or  from  sickness. 

A  medical  officer  will  accompany  each  division  picket. 

The  pickets  will  not  be  permitted  to  converse  with  citizens,  save 
on  duty,  or  with  the  pickets  of  the  enemy. 

Small  fires  may  be  permitted  by  division  commanders,  at  the 
groups,  never  at  the  sentinel's  post.  When  fires  are  permitted  they 
must  be  made  so  as  to  be  concealed  from  the  observation  of  the 
enemy. 

The  guard  at  the  "reserve"  and  "supports"  will  habitually  turn 
out  at  the  approach  of  officers  entitled  to  that  honor.  Sentinels  will 
stand  at  "  attention,"  at  "  ordered  arms,"  when  officers  on  duty  pass 
their  posts. 

The  picket  reserve  and  support  will  be  under  arms  at  daylight. 
The  groups  always  under  arms. 

The  pickets  of  each  division,  after  they  have  been  relieved,  will  all 
be  assembled  and  marched  in  a  body  to  division  headquarters. 
They  will  not  be  permitted  to  straggle  back  to  their  camps. 

No  discharging  of  arms  whatever,  except  in  action,  will  be  per 
mitted  without  authority  from  these  headquarters. 

Refugees,  contrabands,  and  deserters,  presenting  themselves  at  the 
picket  line,  will  be  sent  under  guard  to  the  provost  marshal  at  these 
headquarters.  They  will  not  be  examined,  except  when,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  division  commanders,  it  may  be  essential  to  the  safety 
of  his  command. 

Citizens  will  not  be  allowed  to  pass  inside  the  lines  with  the  in 
tention  of  returning,  except  by  orders  from  department  headquarters, 
signed  by  the  major-general  commanding,  the  chief  of  staff,  assistant 
adjutant-general,  or  provost  marshal-general.  They  will  be  detained 


PICKET    DUTY.  409 

on  the  picket  line  until  such  orders  can  be  communicated.  When 
provided  with  proper  authority  they  will  be  sent  under  guard  to 
these  headquarters. 

When  the  corps  is  detached,  passes  from  the  corps  commander, 
signed  by  himself,  or  by  his  order  by  his  chief  of  staff,  assistant 
adjutant-general,  or  provost  marshal,  will  be  recognized. 

Officers  or  soldiers,  belonging  to  infantry  or  cavalry  detachments, 
on  duty  beyond  the  picket  lines  of  the  corps,  will,  when  on  duty,  be 
permitted  to  pass  the  pickets  on  an  order  from  the  commanding 
officer  of  their  detachment,  or  his  immediate  superiors.  These  passes 
must  be  dated,  and  the  entry  and  exit  by  the  main  and  direct  roads. 

Organized  bodies  of  troops  recognized  as  friends  will  be  subjected 
to  no  other  detention  than  that  prescribed  in  army  regulations. 

Corps  officers  of  the  day  will  be  taken  from  commanding  officers 
of  regiments.  When  officers  are  detailed  as  corps  officer  of  the  day, 
who  are  not  present  for  duty,  the  detail  will  immediately  be  returned 
to  these  headquarters. 

The  corps  officer  of  the  day  will  report  to  the  general  commanding 
the  corps,  at  nine  o'clock,  A.  M. 

The  corps  officer  of  the  day  will  visit  the  division  officers  of  the 
day,  on  the  picket  line,  at  least  once  during  his  tour,  to  see  that  the 
orders  are  properly  executed  and  that  the  line  is  connected  through 
out,  and  shall  make  such  further  inspections  as  may  be  practicable. 

The  division  officers  of  the  day  will  visit  their  picket  lines  at  least 
once  during  the  day  and  once  after  twelve  o'clock  at  night.  They 
should  notify  the  corps  officer  of  the  day  of  the  location  of  their 
headquarters. 

Each  division  officer  of  the  day  will  be  furnished  with  one  mounted 
orderly  from  division  headquarters.  The  corps  officer  of  the  day 
will  be  furnished  with  two  mounted  orderlies  from  corps  head 
quarters. 

When  the  corps  officer  of  the  day  marches  off,  he  will  submit  to 
the  assistant  adjutant-general  of  the  corps  a  report  of  his  tour, 
enumerating  all  irregularities  which  he  has  observed,  specifying  the 
division  in  which  they  occurred.  Division  officer  of  the  day  will 
make  like  reports  to  division  commanders,  noting  all  irregularities 
and  unusual  circumstances  that  have  occurred  during  their  tour. 

52 


410  APPENDIX. 

These  reports  will  be  transmitted  by  commanders  to  these  head 
quarters,  on  the  day  of  their  date. 

The  occurrence  of  any  unusual  circumstances  on  the  picket  line 
should  be  instantly  submitted  to  the  division  officer  of  the  day,  and 
by  him  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  division,  and  to  the  corps 
officer  of  the  day,  at  these  headquarters,  and  by  the  division  com 
mander  to  the  assistant  adjutant-general  at  these  headquarters. 

These  orders  are  published  to  secure  uniformity. 

By  command  of  Major-general  D.  B.  Birney  : 

EDWARD  W.  SMITH, 

Assistant  Adjutant-general. ' 


ACTION   OF   COUNCILS. 

THURSDAY,  October  20, 1864. 

Councils  met: — The  following  message  was  received  from  the 
Mayor : — 

OFFICE  OF  THE  MAYOR  OF  THE  CITY  OF  PHILADELPHIA, 

October  20,  1864. 
To  THE  PRESIDENT  AND  MEMBERS  OF  THE 

COMMON  COUNCIL  OF  THE  CITY  OF  PHILADELPHIA  : 

GENTLEMEN  : — 

Major-general  David  Bell  Birney,  United  States  volunteers,  died 
on  the  night  of  Tuesday  last,  at  his  residence  in  this  city.  Four 
weeks  ago  your  chamber  adopted  a  joint  resolution  of  welcome  to 
General  Birney,  tendering  to  him  the  Hall  of  Independence  that  he 
might  receive  the  merited  congratulations  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

The  conspicuous  and  successful  military  career  of  General  Birney 
since  the  beginning  of  the  rebellion  has  reflected  honor  upon  the 
city  of  his  adoption,  and  it  is  proper  that  Philadelphia  should  evince 
a  grateful  appreciation  of  his  eminent  self-devotion  and  patriotism, 
and  should  manifest  a  sense  of  the  public  loss  in  the  decease  of  this 
able  soldier  and  honored  citizen. 

Respectfully, 

ALEXANDER  HENRY, 

Mayor  of  Philadelphia. 


ACTION    OF    COUNCILS.  411 

Mr.  Isaac  Sulger  thereupon  (on  leave) 

Eead  in  his  place  and  presented  to  the  chair  the  following  resolu 
tions  in  honor  of  the  ]ate  Major-general  David  Bell  Birney : 

Whereas,  It  has  pleased  Almighty  God  to  remove  by  death  from 
our  midst  Major-general  David  B.  Birney,  at  a  time  when  our  citi 
zens  were  seeking  an  opportunity  to  do  honor  to  his  worth  and 
bravery;  when  his  many  deeds  of  valor  had  commended  him  to  our 
highest  consideration  and  warmest  sympathy;  when  with  Hancock 
and  Meade  and  Grant,  and  a  long  list  of  others,  he  had  gained  for 
himself  undying  honor's,  and  ranked  himself  a  brave,  bold,  and  cour 
ageous  officer ;  when,  after  slow  advances,  flank  movements,  dashing 
charges  and  severe  battles,  the  "  Army  of  the  Potomac,"  under  fear 
less  and  able  generals,  had  driven  the  Confederates  within  the  rebel 
capital,  and  when  Richmond  was  almost  within  the  grasp  of  the 
Union  forces.  And 

Whereas,  It  is  due  to  the  memory  of  the  deceased,  that  our  citizens 
should  honor  him  with  a  public  burial ;  therefore, 

Resolved,  By  the  Select  and  Common  Councils  of  the  City  of  Phila 
delphia,  That  the  use  of  Independence  Ilall  be  tendered  to  the 
family  of  the  late  Major-general  David  B.  Birney,  for  the  purposes 
of  a  public  funeral. 

Resolved,  That  we  deeply  deplore  the  loss  of  a  brave  general,  a 
courageous  soldier,  a  distinguished  civilian.  His  many  deeds  of  valor, 
his  many  sacrifices,  his  bold  and  fearless  example  will  be  held  in 
grateful  esteem  by  us  his  fellow-citizens.  And  while  we  regret  his 
departure  from  amongst  us,  at  a  time  when  his  courage,  his  efficient 
services,  his  best  energies,  together  with  those  of  his  honored  asso 
ciates  of  the  "Army  of  the  Potomac,"  were  about  to  be  crowned  with 
success,  and  victory  was  about  to  be  proclaimed  in  the  occupation 
and  possession  of  the  rebel  capital,  we  humbly  submit  to  the  decree 
of  Heaven  in  this  sore  and  afflictive  dispensation. 

Resolved,  That  we  tender  to  the  family  of  the  deceased  our  heart 
felt  sympathy  and  condolence,  and  hereby  testify  our  sincere  appre 
ciation  of  his  worth  and  merit,  his  valor  and  courage,  his  many 
sacrifices  and  services  in  defence  of  our  firesides  and  homes,  our  flag 
and  our  country. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  members  from  each  branch  of 
Councils  be  appointed,  together  with  the  Presidents  of  each  cham- 


412  APPENDIX. 

ber  and  the  Mayor  of  the  city,  to  make  arrangements  for  a  public 
funeral  of  the  deceased  from  Independence  Hall,  if  agreeable  to  the 
wishes  of  his  family.  And  that  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  en 
grossed  and  presented  to  his  consort  in  grateful  appreciation  of  the 
distinguished  courage,  bravery,  and  devotion  that  marked  her  hus 
band's  promotion  from  the  lieutenant-colonel  to  a  major-general  of 
volunteers  in  the  United  States  army. 

Passed  unanimously. 

The  President  appointed  Messrs.  Sulger,  Everman,  Gratz,  Lough- 
lin,  and  Wolbert  the  committee  on  the  part  of  Common  Council. 


The  Select  Council  passed  the  following  after  his  burial : — 

RESOLUTIONS   OF   RESPECT   TO   THE   MEMORY   OF 
GENERAL   BIRNEY. 

Major-general  David  Bell  Birney  is  no  more.  This  distinguished 
officer,  after  a  severe  illness,  induced  by  a  protracted  service  in  the 
field,  was  compelled  to  return  to  his  family  for  a  short  period  of 
repose,  but  he  had  too  long  devoted  himself  to  his  country's  service 
to  be  within  the  reach  of  human  aid,  and  he  now,  at  the  early  age 
of  thirty-nine,  rests  in  a  soldier's  grave,  honored  by  the  gratitude  and 
affection  of  the  nation.  It  would  not  be  fitting  that  hi  s  life  should 
be  permitted  to  glide  unnoticed  to  its  close,  and  the  Councils  of  the 
city  of  his  adoption  desire  to  make  such  acknowledgment  of  his 
services  as  shall,  in  some  degree,  express  the  public  sense  enter 
tained  of  his  worth  and  the  profound  regret  felt  for  his  death ;  there 
fore, 

Be  it  resolved,  By  the  Select  and  Common  Councils  of  the  City  of 
Philadelphia,  That  the  authorities  of  the  city  have  been  greatly 
pained  by  the  decease  of  Major-general- David  Bell  Birney,  United 
States  volunteers.  The  citizens  of  Philadelphia  generally  have  felt 
a  just  pride  in  the  appreciation  of  the  public  services  of  one  of  her 
soldiers  by  the  general  government,  as  manifested  in  the  regular 
advancement  of  the  deceased  from  the  rank  of  a  lieutenant-colonel 
to  the  command  of  one  of  the  army  corps  of  the  national  forces ; 
and  it  is  a  subject  of  regret  that  his  early  death  forbids  those  public 


GENERAL    BIRNEY'S    COMMAND.  413 

evidences  of  gratitude  wiiidi  would  most  surely  have  crowned  his 
riper  years.  To  the  youth  of  the  city,  the  life,  devotion,  and  patriot 
ism  of  General  Birney  form  a  bright  example,  while  his  successes 
in  the  field  secure  to  his  name  a  glowing  page  in  the  history  of  the 
country. 

Resolved,  That  the  Councils  of  the  city  offer  the  sympathy  of  the 
citizens  of  Philadelphia  to  the  family  of  the  late  Major-general  Bir 
ney,  and  direct  that  the  minutes  of  these  proceedings  be  sent  to  them. 

Approved  28th  of  October,  A.  D.  1864. 


GENERAL  BIRNEY'S   COMMAND. 

The  following  regiments  and  batteries  served  under  General  Bir 
ney  as  a  division  commander  : — 
First  Maine  Heavy  Artillery. 
Sixth     "       Battery,  Dow's. 
Third     "       Infantry. 
Fourth  "  " 

Seventeenth  Maine  Infantry. 
First  Massachusetts  Heavy  Artillery. 
First  "  Battery.     Sleeper's, 

Eleventh     "  Infantry. 

First  Rhode  Island  Battery.     Eandolph's. 
First  New  York  Infantry. 
Thirty -seventh  New  York  Infantry. 
Thirty-eighth 
Fortieth 

Fifty-fifth  "  " 

Seventy-first  "  « 

Seventy-third  "  " 

Eighty-sixth  "  " 

Eighty-seventh         "  " 

Ninety-third  "  " 

One-hundred-and-first  New  York  Infantry. 


414  APPENDIX. 

One-hundred-and-twentieth  New  York  Infantry. 

One-hundred-and  -twenty  -fourth.    •'  " 

Sixth  New  York  Battery.     Bramhall's. 

Third  New  Jersey  Infantry. 

Fifth 

Sixth          " 

Seventh      "  " 

Eighth        " 

Eleventh    " 
m  First  New  Jersey  Battery.     Clark's. 

Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Sixty-third  "  " 

Sixty-eighth  ."  " 

Eighty-fourth  "  " 

Ninety-ninth  "  " 

One-hundred-arid -fifth  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

One-hundred-and-tenth  "  " 

One-hundred-and-fourteenth    "  " 

One-hundred  and-forty-first     "  " 

Third  Michigan  Infantry. 

Fifth 

Twentieth  Indiana  Infantry. 

First  United  States  Sharpshooters. 

Second         "  " 

.  Second         "  Artillery,  Battery  G. 

Third  /'  "  E. 

Third  «  «  K 

Ames'  Battery. 

Seelcy's     " 

Turnbull's  Battery. 

Winslow's        " 

Bucklyn's         " 


STAFF    OFFICERS. 


STAFF   OFFICERS. 

The  following-named  officers  served  at  different  times  on  the  staff 
of  General  Birnej.  The  list  is  necessarily  imperfect;  for,  besides 
the  impossibility  of  obtaining  the  names  of  all,  it  has  been  difficult 
to  trace  the  subsequent  career  of  those  who  are  known  to  have  served 
in  this  connection. 

*FITZIIUGH  BIENEY,  Major  and  A.  A.  G. 

HENRY  W.  BREVOORT,  Major  and  A.  A.  G. 

J.  C.  BRISCOE,  Major  and  A.  D.  C.     Afterwards   Colonel   One-hun- 

dred-and-ninety-ninth  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  Brevet  Brig 
adier-general  U.  S.  V. 
G.  0.   BRADLEY,  Lieutenant-colonel  and  Chief  Q.  M.     Afterwards 

Colonel  and  Q.  M. 
*A.   J.  H.  BUZZEL,    Third    New    Hampshire    volunteers,    Medical 

Inspector. 

F.  E.  BLISS,  Captain  and  C.  S. 
PAUL  BRODIE,  Lieutenant  and  Signal  Officer. 
W.  W.  BRAMAN,  Ninety-third  New  York  volunteers,  Captain  and 

Provost  Marshal. 
F.  F.  CAVADA,  One-hundred-and-fourteenth  Pennsylvania  volunteers, 

Lieutenant-colonel  and  Chief  of  Staff. 

BEXJ.  S.  CALEF,  Second  U.  S.  Sharpshooters,  Lieutenant  and  A.  D.  C. 
FRANK  CLARK,  One-hundred-and-fourteenth  Pennsylvania  volunteers, 

Lieutenant  and  A.  D.  C. 
LEVI  B.  DUFF,  One-hundred-and-fifth  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  Major 

and  A.  A.  I.  G.     Afterwards  Colonel. 
*J.  H.  DANDY,  One-hundredth  New  York  volunteers,  Captain  and 

A.  C.  S.     Afterwards  Major  One-hundredth  New  York  volunteers. 
TPIOS.  J.  DIEIIL,  Volunteer  A.  D.  C.,  with  rank  of  Captain. 
Jos.  DAVIS,  Fortieth  New  York  volunteers,  Lieutenant  and  A.  A.  D.  C. 
ORPHEUS  BVARTS,  Twentieth  Indiana  volunteers,  Medical  Director. 

*  Deceased. 


416  *  APPENDIX. 

J.  BARCLAY  FASSITT,  Twenty -third  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  Captain 
and  A.  D.  C. 

E.  L.  FORD,  Ninety-ninth  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  Captain  and  A.D.C. 

Louis  FITZGERALD,  Fortieth  New  York  volunteers,  Captain  and 
A.  D.  C. 

CHARLES  H.  GRAVES,  Captain  and  A.  A.  G.  Now  Major  and  A.  A.  G. 
on  staff  of  Major-general  Terry. 

JOHN  HANCOCK,  Major  and  A.  A.  G.  Afterwards  Lieutenant-colonel 
and  A.  A.  G. 

Surgeon  HILDRETH,  Third  Maine  volunteers,  Medical  Director. 

G.  C.  HUNKINS,  Fourth  Maine  volunteers,  Medical  Director. 

J.  C.  HENSHAW,  Major  and  Judge  Advocate. 

W.  V.  HUTCHINGS,  Captain  and  A.  Q.  M.  Afterwards  Acting  Chief 
Q.  M.  of  Twenty-fifth  Army  Corps. 

G.  O.  HOWARD,  Fortieth  Massachusetts  volunteers,  Captain  and  Ord 
nance  Officer.  Afterwards  Ordnance  Officer  Twenty-fifth  Army 
Corps. 

G.  W.  JOHNS,  Captain  and  A.  Q.  M.     Afterwards  Major  and  Q.  M. 

E.  H.  JACKSON,  Lieutenant-colonel  and  A.  I.  G.  Afterwards  Briga 
dier-general  U.  S.  V.  and  Brevet  Major  general. 

E.  F.  KOEIILER.   One-hundred-and-fourteenth    Pennsvlvania   volun- 

«/ 

teers,  Captain  and  Judge  Advocate. 

*J.  W.  LYMAN,  Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  Medical 
Director.  Afterwards  Lieutenant-colonel  Two-hundred-and-third 
Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

S.  P.  LEE,  Third  Maine  volunteers,  Lieutenant  and  A.  D.  C.  After 
wards  Major  Third  Maine  volunteers,  and  Veteran  Reserve  Corps. 

LAMBERT,  Third  New  Jersey  volunteers,  Lieutenant  of  Guard. 

JAMES  M.  LINNARD,  Twenty -third  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  Captain 
and  A.  D.  C.     Afterwards  Captain  and  A.  A.  G. 
-  LLOYD,  Third  New  Jersey  volunteers,  Captain  and  A.  A.  I.  G. 

*F.  McGiLVERY,  First  Maine  Artillery,  Lieutenant-colonel  and  Chief 
of  Artillery. 

C.  MACMICHAEL,  Ninth  U.  S.  Infantry,  Captain  and  A.  D.  C. 

W.  E.  MORFORD,  Captain  and  A.  Q.  M.  Afterwards  Lieutenant- 
colonel  and  Chief  Q.  M.  Third  Corps. 

*  Deceased. 


STAFF    OFFICERS.  417 

J.  RIDGEWAY  MOORE,  One-hundredth-and-sixteenth  Pennsylvania  vol 
unteers,  Lieutenant  and  A.  D.  C. 

G.  W.  MINDIL,  Twenty -third  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  Captain  and 
A.  A.  A.  G.  Afterwards  Colonel  Twenty-seventh  New  Jersey 
volunteers,  and  Brevet  Brigadier-general  U.  S.  V. 

CASSIUS  C.  MARKLE,  One-hundred-and-fifth  Pennsylvania  volunteers, 
Captain  and  Provost  Marshal. 

DR.  McCRUER,  Medical  Director. 

DONALD  MC!NTYRE,  Captain  and  C.  S. 

CHARLES  NOBLE,  JR.,  One-hundred-and-nineteenth  Pennsylvania  vol 
unteers,  Captain  and  A.  D.  C. 

W.  H.  OWENS,  Captain  and  A.  Q.  M.     Afterwards  Colonel  and  Q.  M. 

C.  H.  PHILLIPS,  Fourth  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  Lieutenant  and  Chief 
of  Ambulances. 

H.  W.  PHILLIPS,  Fourth  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  Lieutenant  and 
Assistant  Provost  Marshal. 

PHILLIPS,  One-hundred-and-first  New  York  volunteers,  Lieu 
tenant  and  A.  D.  C. 

G.  H.  PANCOAST,  Medical  Director. 

J.  R.  PANCOAST.  One-hundred-and-tenth  Pennsylvania  volunteers, 
Lieutenant  and  Chief  of  Ambulances. 

C.  M.  ROBINS,  Captain  and  C.  S.  Afterwards  Acting  Chief  C.  S. 
Twenty-fifth  Army  Corps. 

J.  F.  RANDLETT,  Third  New  Hampshire  volunteers,  Major  and  Pro 
vost  Marshal.  Afterwards  Lieutenant-colonel. 

ROGERS,  Fourth  Maine  volunteers,  Lieutenant  of  Guard. 

ED.  W.  SMITH,  Lieutenant-colonel  and  A.  A.  G.,  Brevet  Colonel. 

R.  J.  SMITH,  Medical  Director. 

A.  H.  STEVENS,  Fourth  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  Major  and  Provost 
Marshal.  Afterwards  Provost  Marshal  of  Twenty-fifth  Corps. 

J.  E.  SWEET,  Twentieth  Indiana  volunteers,  Captain  and  A.  D.  C. 

WILLIAM  P.  SHREVE,  Second  U.  S.  Sharpshooters,  Lieutenant  and 
C.  M.  Afterwards  Commissary  of  Musters,  Twenty -fifth  Corps. 

LEWIS  A.  STIMSON,  Volunteer  Aide,  with  rank  of  Lieutenant.  After 
wards  with  Major-General  A.  H.  Terry. 

II.  J.  STRAIT,  Fortieth  New  York  volunteers,  Captain,  Judge  Advocate. 
J.  H.  TALMAN,  Captain  and  A.  Q.  M.     Afterwards  Major  and  Q.  M. 
JOSEPH  F.  TOBIAS,  Volunteer  Aide,  with  rank  of  Major. 


418 


APPENDIX. 


JOHN  WILLIAM,  Eighth  New  Jersey  volunteers,  Captain  and  A.  A.  I.  a. 

Afterwards  Colonel  Twelfth  New  Jersey  volunteers,  and  Brevet 

Brigadier-general  U.  S.  V. 
D.  C.  WINEBRENXER,  Ninety-ninth  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  Captain 

and  Assistant  Provost  Marshal. 
FERGUS  WALKER,  Thirty-eighth  New  York  volunteers,  Captain  and 

A.  A.  I.  G. 
A.  C.   WARBERG-,  (Royal  Swedish   Army,)   Lieutenant-colonel  and 

A.  D.  C.     Afterwards  A.  I.  G.  Twenty-fifth  Army  Corps. 


THE    END. 


RETURN 
TO^^ 


MAIN  CIRCULATION 


ALL  BOOKS  ARE  SUBJECT  TO  RECALL 
RENEW  BOOKS  BY  CALLING  642-3405 


DUE  AS  STAMPED  BELOW 

JI/N  0  5  199 

f  jAW    f\  r-  tf\  1 

vC 

W  05  &  ] 

FORM  NO.  DD6 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  BERKELEY 
BERKELEY,  CA  94720 


YE    D7,OQCf 

U.  C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


